Characteristics of Living Things

History of Life

All Living things…… Are based on a universal genetic code Are made up of cells Reproduce Grow and Develop Obtain and use Energy Respond to their Environment Change over time

Living things are based on a Universal Genetic Code All organisms store complex information they need to live, grow, and reproduce in a genetic code written in a molecule of DNA.

Living Things are made up of Cells Cells are the basic unit of life Unicellular = Organisms that contain a single cell Multicellular = Organisms containing more than one cell

Living Things Reproduce Types of Reproduction 1.) Sexual Reproduction: Requires two or more individual organism that unit to produce a new organism (sperm and Egg) 2.) Asexual Reproduction: Reproduction by a single organism

Sexual ReproductionAsexual Reproduction

Living Things Grow and Develop During Growth and Development, most living thing go through a cycle of change called development. Example: Humans (embryo, baby, child, teen, adult)

Living Things Obtain and Use Energy Organism obtain energy from their environment and use it to grow, develop, and reproduce. Anabolism: The building of complex substances Catabolism: The breakdown of complex substances Metabolism: The balance of anabolism and catabolism

Living Things Respond to their Environment Living things respond and adjust to stimuli in their environment Stimuli = light, temperature, odor, sound, etc. Homeostasis: An organisms ability to maintain constant or stable conditions that are necessary for life. (A balance, or Thermostat in your house)

All living things change over Time Over generations, groups of organisms evolve, or change over time.

Levels of Biology Molecular Level: DNA, Chemical units of life Cellular Level: Cells, structure and function Multicellular Level: How groups of cells work together Population Level: How groups of organism interact Global Level: World wide view of biology