CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING ORGANISMS

1. The seven characteristics of living organisms are excretion, growth, movement,

nutrition, reproduction, respiration and sensitivity.
Complete Table 1.1 below by writing the characteristic opposite its definition.
Table 1.1

J2011 P22 Q1 A remote-controlled submarine gathered a sample of mud from the bottom of
the sea.
Fig. 1.1 shows an apparatus that was set up to investigate if the mud contained any living
organisms.

Fig. 1.1
(a) (i) Name a solution that could be used to test for carbon dioxide.
[1]
(ii) Carbon dioxide was detected coming from the mud.
Suggest the two characteristics of living organisms that could be linked to this observation.
[2]
(b) List three other characteristics of living organisms. [3]
J2012 P21 Q1. Non-living things, such as a car, often show characteristics similar to those of
living organisms.
(a) State which characteristic of a living organism matches each of the descriptions linked to
a car.
(i) burning fuel in the engine to release energy [1]
(ii) headlights that switch on automatically in the dark [1]
(iii) filling the car’s tank with fuel [1]
(iv) release of waste gases [1]
(b) Identify one characteristic of living things that is not carried out by a car.
[1]

(a) Define the term species. [2]

(b) Table 5.1 shows the names of vertebrate groups and some of their

characteristics.

Place a tick in the boxes to show if the characteristic is commonly present in

that group.

The characteristics of the fish group have been done for you.

Table 5.1

More questions: Jun 2015 P22 Q1.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS.
6 (a) Fig. 6.1 shows six insects.

Fig. 6.1

Use the key to identify the insects in Fig. 6.1.

Write the letter for each insect in the key.
Key

(b) Insects are arthropods.

(i) State one feature of all arthropods. [1]
(ii) State the names of two other groups of arthropods. [2]
NOV 2017 P33 Q1.Fig. 1.1 shows five species of birds that live near the water in habitats
such as mudflats, marshes and shorelines.

Fig. 1.1

(a) State two features that are characteristic of all birds.[2]

(b) Fig. 1.2 is a key to identify the five birds in Fig. 1.1.
does it have a curved beak?
Fig. 1.2
Use the key to identify the five birds shown in Fig. 1.1.
Complete Table 1.1 by writing the letters A, B, C, D and E in the boxes next to the name of
each bird.