BIOLOGY—THE STUDY OF LIFE

How have organisms “solved the problems” of living?

WHAT IS LIFE? Which of these are living? Which are

nonliving?

• How can we tell? BRAINSTORM!

WHAT IS LIFE? Which of these are living? Which are

nonliving?

WHAT IS LIFE? Which of these are living? Which are

nonliving?

WHAT IS LIFE? Which of these are living? Which are

nonliving?

WHAT IS LIFE? Which of these are living? Which are

nonliving?

HOW DO YOU KNOW? ARE YOU SURE?

HOW DO SCIENTISTS KNOW? ARE THEY SURE? All living things, “organisms”, share certain

challenges or ‘problems of living’ that separate them from nonliving things. They may or may not be visible.

These “Characteristics of Life” are used to classify things as living or nonliving

Scientists recognize seven properties

Imagine what characteristics you share with a gecko!

SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE

MRS GREN

SEVEN PROPERTIES OF LIFE Movement Reproduction Sensitivity Growth &Development Respiration Excretion Nutrition

How do organisms solve each of these ‘problems of living’ in order to stay alive?

MOVEMENT Many living things are observed moving, like

this cheetah running But you don’t see plants running around, so

how do they move? All living things move blood or fluids within

the organism There is movement in each individual cell-

it’s called ‘cytoplasmic streaming’

REPRODUCTION All living things can reproduce

(sexually or asexually). Living things produce offspring, or more of their own kind, from one generation to the next

living things pass on traits to their offspring through genes. This is called heredity

SENSITIVITY All living things respond and adjust to the

environment

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT All living things grow (becoming larger) and develop

(change and become more complex) living things can repair damaged parts

Extraordinary Animals In The Womb, National Geographic

Watch frog development!

RESPIRATION All life processes require energy All living things carry out respiration to turn

food into energy to run life processes Occurs in all living things at a cellular level

Metabolism is the sum of all these chemical reactions in an organism

EXCRETION All living things have methods of getting rid

of waste products

NUTRITION All living things have a continual need for

food and nutrients

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

GROWTHAND

DEVELOPMENT

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

REPRODUCTION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

RESPIRATION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

SENSITIVITY

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

MOVEMENTNUTRITION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

GROWTH AND

DEVELOPMENT

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

MOVEMENTNUTRITION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

EXCRETION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic. GROWTH

AND DEVELOPMENT

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic. REPRODUCTION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match the image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

NUTRITION

EXAMPLE IMAGES Match this image to one of the seven

properties / characteristics of life and explain how it depicts this characteristic.

HOMEOSTASIS All living things maintain a constant internal

environment in order to function properly Organisms respond to changes in their external

environment, and their internal processes adjust accordingly

MODEL IMAGE AND CAPTION This picture of a woman

sweatingafter exercise and drinking water to replace the water she lostillustrateshomeostasis— the maintenance of constant internal state in a changing environment. As the woman exercised in the hot sun her body temperature rose above its normal state so she began to perspire in order to lower her body temperature back to its ‘normal resting state’. Likewise she lost water as she sweated, so she drinks water to rehydrate (regain her fluid balance) and replace the water she lost when perspiring. (image URL: http://www…)

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS:DEATH AND COMPLEXITY Death—All living things cease to live when

internal or external conditions become unfavorable for life

Complexity—Most living things show system organization, interrelationship, and maintenance

HEREDITY All living things pass on traits to their

offspring through genes that are passed from parent to offspring each generation

CELLULAR ORGANIZATION All living things are composed of one or more

cell Highly organized, tiny structures with thin

coverings called membranes Smallest unit capable of all life functions Simple to complex cells with common basic

structure Unicellular and multicellular

Cell Theory: Cells are the smallest unit

capable of having life All living things have cells All cells come from previous cells

EXTENSION Origins of Life? Synthetic Life? Virus…living or nonliving? Life without death?