1. Characteristics of Living Things

2. (1)
Have Cells –membrane covered structures that have all materials needed for life
Unicellular = 1 cell
Multicellular = more than 1 cell

3. Have DNA (2) DNA is responsible for heredity
Heredity: passing on of traits from parent to offspring (passed through DNA)
DNA has instructions to make proteins that run body by chemical reactions (made of amino acids)

4. Respond to Stimuli (3) Organisms react to a stimulus (a change)
Organisms try to maintain homeostasis (constant internal environment)
Chemical reactions that keep body alive need homeostasis so they can occur

5. Use Energy (4) To carry out life activities like:
For making food (plants)
For breaking down food (both)
Taking in food = ingestion
Breaking down food = digestion
For building cells (both)
Metabolism – all chemical reactions that an organism carries out

6. Grow and Develop (5) Growth: Development: Cells grow larger
Cells multiply
Development:
Change in organism as it grows

7. Reproduce (6) Keeps species alive
Asexual – single parent = identical offspring (unicellular)
Sexual – 2 parents = offspring have traits of both parents (protists, fungus, plants & animals)

8. Excrete Waste (7) Waste released so it doesn’t poison body
Two wastes we release are
carbon dioxide and urine