HSB SECTION A

Characteristics of Living Things

Nutrition/feeding- The taking in of food into the body in order to produce energy and provide
materials for building up body cells a d maintaining them.
Growth- The increase in size gained by producing more cells.
Excretion- The elimination of waste products produced by metabolism.
Respiration- The release of energy from food substances to do work in the body.
Movement- Locomotion of the whole body or moving body parts.
Irritability- The ability to detect and react to stimulus.
Reproduction- The ability to produce new individuals.
Organization in the body
All organism is made up of cells. The two main types of cells are plant and animal cells.
Functions of the part of a cell
Protoplasm- Cytoplasm and nucleus where metabolic activities controlled by enzymes take
place.
Nucleus- Contains chromosomes with genes having plans for making proteins.
Vacuole- Store’s food, cell secretions or cell waste.
Mitochondria- Release energy from food during respiration.
Endoplasmic retilicum- Allows passage of substances in the cell and has ribosomes attached.
Ribosomes- Make protein and amino acids.
Cell Membrane- Controls what substances enter and leave the cell.
Cell Wall- Only found in plant cells. Supports and protects the plant cell and gives it shape.
Chloroplast- Where photosynthesis occurs to produce food for the plant.
Differences between plant and animal cells

Animal Cells Plant cells

Do not have a cell wall
Don not has chloroplasts or chlorophyll
Small vacuoles
Can have a great variety of shapes
Have a cell wall made of cellulose
Usually have chloroplasts which contain
chlorophyll
Large vacuoles filled with cell sap
Have a regular shape, usually round, square
or rectangular.
 Cell Specialization
These cells are of different types due to them being differentiated to carry out specific
functions. This enables humans to carry out essential life processes efficiently.
 Multi cellular organisms are made up of many cells.
 Unicellular organism is made up of only one cell.
Functions of some specialized cells
Muscle- Contracts to bring about movement.
Nerve- Transmits an impulse from one part of the body to another.
Epithelial- Covers a surface.
Egg- Female gamete contains food to keep the zygote alive after fertilization
Sperm- Male gamete has many mitochondria to release energy. Has a tail to enable it to
swim.
Red Blood cells- Packed with haemoglobin to transport oxygen.
White Blood Cells- Protects the body against pathogens and diseases.
Specialized cells are often arranged in the following way:
Cell- the basic unit of life.
Tissue- a collection of similar cells working together to carry out the same function.
Organ- a collection of different tissues working together to carry out one function.
Organ System- a collection of different organs working together to carry out one major
function.
Levels of Organization
Cells > Tissues > Organs > Organ System
Types of tissues
Muscle- contracts to cause movement
Nerve- conducts nerve impulses.
Epithelial- protects surface.
Connective- connect body organs
Organ Systems
Type of system Type of organs
Digestive Stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas
Respiratory Trachea, lungs, bronchus
Circulatory Heart, arteries, veins, capillaries
Skeletal Skull, girdles, limb bones
Excretory Kidneys
 Reproductive Testis, ovary
Nervous Brain, spinal cord

Movement of Substances into and out of cells

Substances move into and out of cells by:
 Diffusion
 Osmosis
 Active transport
Diffusion
Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of
lower concentration until the particles are evenly distributed.
Importance of diffusion in living things
Diffusion is important to cells because it allows them to gain the useful substances they
require to obtain energy and grow, and lets them get rid of waste products.
Examples of diffusion
Breathing- Oxygen only gets into your bloodstream when the O2 molecules you breathe in
diffuse into deoxygenated blood.
Perfume is sprayed in one part of a room, yet soon it diffuses so that you can smell it
everywhere.
A drop of food coloring diffuses throughout the water in a glass so that, eventually, the entire
glass will be colored.

Osmosis
Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a partially permeable membrane from a
weaker to a more concentrated area.
Importance of osmosis in living things
It helps in the movement of important materials inside and out of the cell. The nutrients,
water and other solutes move in and out of the cell by the process of osmosis.
 Water molecules move into and out of cells by osmosis.
 Water in kidneys is reabsorbed by osmosis.
 Water is absorbed by the root hairs of plants.
Examples of osmosis
The plant roots have a higher concentration than the soil, therefore, the water flows into the
roots.
When the plant cells are filled with water, the guard cells swell up and the stomata open.
When the fingers are placed in water for a longer period of time, they become pruney due to
the flow of water inside the cells.

Active Transport
Active transport is the movement of substances across cell membranes using energy from cell
respiration.
Importance of active transport in living things
Active transport is important because it allows the cell to move substances against the
concentration gradient.
Examples of active transport
Ions moving from soil into plant roots
Release of antibodies
White blood cells attacking disease-causing agents

Metabolism
Metabolism is all the chemical reactions occurring in the cell.
Anabolism- The building up process of metabolism. (Growth)
Catabolism- The breaking down process of metabolism. (Wear and tear)

The Importance of Plants

Photosynthesis
This is the process by which green plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and
oxygen using energy from sunlight which is absorbed by the chlorophyll in chloroplasts.
Photosynthesis summary equation:
6H2O + 6CO2 Light/Chlorophyll C6H12O6 + 6O2
Water Carbon dioxide Glucose Oxygen
The Fate of the Products of Photosynthesis
The products of photosynthesis are Oxygen and Glucose.
Oxygen- It is eliminated from the leaves into the air and also by leaf cells in respiration.
Glucose- It is used by the plants for food. Excess glucose is stored as starch.
Products of Photosynthesis
Sugar- The sugar produced is changed into starch and stored in the plant. This is how we
obtain much of our carbohydrates in rice, yam, potato etc.
Fats, proteins and vitamins- Some of the carbohydrates produced is changed to fats, proteins
and vitamins.
Dependence on plants for food
With careful thinking, you will realise that all our foods ultimately come from plants. Plants
directly supply much of all our food such as cereals, vegetables and fruit. But any kind of
food you eat contains organic matter first made by plants by photosynthesis. Plants also
indirectly supply our foods. For instance, if you eat beef, the cow has obtained its body from
eating grass.
Food Chain
A food chain is a diagram that links the organisms through which food (energy) is passed in a
community. Organism in each link feed on the organism in the link before it.
A food chain begins with a or plant. a primary consumer eats the plant, a secondary producer
eats the primary consumer and a tertiary consumer eats the secondary consumer.
Types of consumers
Herbivores- Animals which eat only plants. E.g., Cows, rabbits
Carnivores- Animals which eat only animals. Egg, Snakes, lions
Omnivores- Animals which eat both plants and animals. E.g., Humans
Trophic Levels
Trophic level is a step in a nutritive series, or food chain, of an ecosystem. The organisms of
a chain are classified into these levels on the basis of their feeding behaviour. 
Energy Transfer in Food Chain

Carbon Cycle
The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the
atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. 
Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is a repeating cycle of processes during which nitrogen moves through
both living and non-living things: the atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals and bacteria.