Characteristics of Living Things

Period 4

-organization:is the high degree of order within an organism’s internal and external parts and in its interactions with the living world.

-cells are organized differently through every species or thing.

-cell: the smallest unit that can perform all life’s processes.

-unicellular: organisms made up of one cell

Organized & Cells

-multicellular: organisms made up multiple cells

-organs: structures that carry out specialized jobs.

-tissues: groups of cells that have similar abilities and that allow organ to function.

- organelles: tiny structures that carry out functions for the cell to stay alive.

Organized & Cells

-biological molecules: provide physical structure that bring movement, energy use, and other cell functions.

Organization & Cells

● stimulus- physical or chemical change in internal or external environment

● organisms must be able to respond and react to changes in environment to stay alive

Response to Stimuli

● all living things have mechanisms that allow them to maintain stable internal conditions

● homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable level of internal conditions even though environmental conditions are constantly changing

Homeostasis

● multicellular organisms usually have more than one way of maintaining important aspects of their internal environment.

Homeostasis

Metabolism

● bacteria that uses suns energy to generate sugar molecules is called photosythesis

Metabolism

● All living things grow & increase in size.

● Cell Division: formation of two new cells from an existing cell.

● Development:process by which an organism becomes a mature adult.

● following the stage of cell divison comes cell enlargement

● The human body is composed of trillions of specialized cells

Growth & Development

Reproduction- the process of producing offspring.

During this process organisms produce new organisms. The process is essential to survival, but it is needed for continuation of species.

During reproduction process organisms transmits hereditary info to their offspring.

Reproduction

Gene- a short segment of DNA that contains instructions for traits of an organism

Hereditary info is transferred during sexual reproduction & asexual reproduction.

Hereditary is found in a large molecule called DNA. DNA contains all nutrients in order to keep the body going.

Reproduction

● populations of living organisms change

● ability of populations of organisms to change over time is important for survival

● important in explaining diversity of life-forms we see on Earth day

Change Through Time