Based on Holt 12.1

How can you tell if something is alive?

List two things that are alive and two things that are not alive.

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All living things need to eat, drink, or absorb energy from the environment

Energy used to create and break down molecules

Metabolism: the total amount of activity happening in the body

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All living things (organisms) grow larger as they make more molecules

They either keep getting bigger or they make more organisms

Growing organisms often change in appearance

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Asexual reproduction: single parent makes identical offspring (children)◦ Similar to a clone

Sexual reproduction: Two parents make offspring that share traits of both parents

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DNA: molecule of information necessary for life◦ Tells the body what to do

and how it should look

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Stimulus: (plural = stimuli): things in the environment that change and cause reactions in living things

Examples: light, heat, water, food, sounds

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The body of organisms wants to stay “comfortable”

Homeostasis: keeping a stable internal environment

Examples: shivering, sweating, getting thirsty

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Cell: smallest living unit

Building block of living things

More details in Chapter 13!