Characteristics of Living Things 304-4 illustrate and explain that the cell is a living system that exhibits all the characteristics of life
As I said before, a cell is the smallest living system in your body. Each cell is like a little body that has its own organs and does stuff that living organisms do. What makes something living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic)? What stuff do living organisms do?
Living Non-living
What are the six characteristics of Living Things? a. Living things are made up of cells b. Living things reproduce, grow, and repair themselves. c. Living things require and use energy. d. Living things respond and adapt to their environment. e. Living things have a life span. f. Living things produce waste.
A. Living things are composed of cells The cell is the basic unit of life. Every living thing is either a cell or contains cells. What is the function of a cell? A cell takes in fuel and builds material, transforms energy, grows and reproduces. The cells of all species are pretty much the same in the way they are built and the way they work.
B. Living things reproduce, grow and repair themselves When do organisms grow? (Organism is any living thing) Organisms grow when they eat more food than their body needs for energy. Their body then may change its form by increasing in size, weight or shape. Give an example of an organism.
C. Living Things require and use energy All living things need energy. Plants get energy from the sun (photosynthesis) and animals get energy from eating plants and other animals. Animals and plants use energy to,, and.
C. Living things require energy. Different organisms obtain their food from different sources. Give an example. What is autotrophic? Autotrophic organisms such as green plants make their own food through photosynthesis.
What is photosynthesis? This is a process where green plants use sun energy to make sugar and starch from carbon dioxide and water.
What is Heterotrophic? Heterotrophic organisms obtain their energy from eating food in their own environment.
D. Living things respond and adapt to their environment. All organisms react to changes in their environment. This response allows the organism to use its muscles and nervous system to help it adapt to change.
White blood cells at work E. Living things have a life span. Old age brings with it certain conditions that vary with each individual. Low immune systems. When this happens to enough cells the body starts to die. Red blood cells (RBCs) are the primary transporters of oxygen in the blood. White Blood Cells are specialized for the defense and daily maintenance of the body.
F. Living things produce waste. What kind of waste does your body produce? The breakdown of substances in the body are eliminated through the excretory system.
Now that we have gone over the characteristics of living things, you should understand that a cell shows all of the characteristics of living organisms.
Homework Questions Page 17 Questions 1,2,3,4 and 5 1. What are the important differences between living and non-living things? 2. Are volcanoes living things? Explain. 3. Name at least one characteristic of living things that is shown in each of the following examples: a. A plant bends towards the light. b. A tadpole develops into a frog. c. Human lungs breathe out carbon dioxide. d. A blue jay feeds on sunflower seeds. e. A cat gives birth to kittens. 4. Make a table listing the six characteristics of living things in one column. In the second column, next to each characteristic, suggest a non-living thing that shows the characteristic. Create using word processing or spreadsheet computer program. 5. How do scientists determine whether to consider something as an organism?
Answers to Homework Questions 1. Living things are composed of cells, require energy, respond to environmental stimuli, reproduce, produce wastes and have a life span. 2. No, volcanoes are not living things. Although they appear to possess some of the characteristics of living things such as growth and breathing out waste gases, they do not possess all the characteristics. For example, volcanoes are not make of cells. 3. A. Plant is responds to environmental stimuli, the light. B. Living things produce offspring like themselves. Eventually, the tadpole matures into a frog. Also, living things have a life span. The tadpole represents one of the life-stages for the frog.
c. Living things produce wastes. Carbon dioxide is a waste that is expelled from the body. d. Living things require energy. The seed provides chemical energy for the blue jay. e. Living things produce offspring like themselves. Characteristics of Living Things Living things require energy. Living things respond to the environment. Living things reproduce, grow, and repair themselves. Living things have a life span. Living things produce wastes. Living things are composed of cells. Non- Living Things Light bulbs require electricity to work. The wind will move clothes on a clothesline. A volcano appears to grow. Rocks will erode and seem to disappear. Wastes are produced during the extraction of gold from ore. Only living things have cells.
5. Scientists would need to consider whether the matter that they find displays all the characteristics of living things, before they could classify it as an organism.