LIFE

Characteristics of Living Things

 What is Biology?
1. The study of living things
(organisms)
2. The study of interactions of
living things

3. bio -life ology-study of

 Unicellular
8 Characteristics of Life
Living Things are:
1. Made up of Cells
Cell Collection of living
a) _______:
material enclosed within a Multicellular
barrier
b) Cells are basic unit of life
Unicellular made up of one
_______________:
cell
Multicellular made up of
_________________:
many cells
 Muscle cell Smooth muscle tissue Stomach Digestive system

c) Levels of organization
Cells have an ________________________
orderly structure
Ex: cells make up tissues, tissues make up organs,
and organs make up systems

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2. Reproduce:
Asexual
a) produce offspring which
resemble parents
Asexual Reproduction:
______________
has only one parent, same DNA
Sexual Reproduction:
_____________
requires two parents Sexual
3. Grow and Develop
Growth
a) __________________: increase in size and shape
Development
b) __________________________: mature over time
c) living things have a lifespan

Growth
Growth

Development
4. Livings things are based on a universal
genetic code
DNA
a) _____________- DeoxyriboNucleic Acid
RNA
b) _____________- RiboNucleic Acid
c) determines inherited traits from parents
5. Use/Need Energy
a) Energy comes from food, used to maintain body
Autotroph
___________________: produce their own food
Heterotroph must consume food
___________________:
Decomposer break down dead material for food
__________________:

b) Chemical reactions of life are called

________________
metabolism
6. Respond to their
surroundings
a.) they react to a
______________________
stimulus
(a signal)

b.) an action causes a

__________________;
reaction which is

response
called a ___________________
7. Maintain a stable internal
environment
a) _______________________-
Homeostasis process by
which organisms maintain a relatively
stable internal environment
EX: sweating, panting, shivering, etc.
8. Adapt & Evolve
a) Any structure, behavior, or internal
process that helps an organism
survive (usually from previous
generations) is called an
adaptation
_______________________________

Evolution
b) _____________________: Accumulation of
adaptations (change) in a population over
time; these changes take place over a long
period of time involving the entire species