CHARACTERISTICS AND CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING

ORGANISMS.

1: Characteristics of living organisms

The 7 characteristics that distinguish living things
from non-living objects are:
1. Movement.

● Movement is an action by an organism or

part of an organism causing a change in

position or place.

● Plants move slowly, their roots move

downwards in response to gravity and their

leaves grow towards light .
2.Respiration: describes chemical reactions in
cells that break down nutrient molecules and
release energy for metabolism(all chemical
reactions in cells).
3.Sensitivity.

● Sensitivity is the ability to detect or sense

stimuli in the internal or

external ;environment and to make
appropriate response.

● Animals have sensory cells and sense

organs for detecting light, sound, touch,

pressure and chemicals in the air and food.

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4.Growth.

● Growth is the permanent increase in size

and dry mass by an increase in cell number.

● Growth involves cell division and

development.
NB: Development is increase in complexity.

5.Reproduction.

● Reproduction is the process that makes

more of the same kind of an organism.

6.Excretion.

● Excretion is the removal from an organism

of the waste products of metabolism, toxic

materials, and substances in excess of
requirements.
7.Nutrition.

● Nutrition is the taking in of materials for

energy, growth and development.

● Nutrition in green plants involves

photosynthesis in which light energy is used

to turn carbon dioxide and water into simple
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 sugars.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS.
NOV 2013 P23 Q1 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.

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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]

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CONCEPT AND USE OF A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.

● Classification: The scientific method of dividing organisms into

smaller and larger groups, on basis of their similarities.

● The largest group is the Kingdom and the smallest grouping is the

species.
Importance of classification.
● Makes it possible to identify organisms most at risk of extinction so

that strategies can be put in place to conserve them.

● Makes it possible to understand the evolutionary relationship between

organisms.
The Binomial System.

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 ● Binomial system is an internationally agreed system in which the
scientific name of an organism is made up of two parts showing the
genus and species.

● Species-a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile

offspring.

● Genus-a group of closely related species but do not interbreed with

each other.
NB: The first name is Genus, the second name is species.
The genus always has a capital letter, and the species always has a small letter.

EXAMPLES.

Common Name Scientific Name

Lion Panthera leo

Tiger Panthera tigris

Human Homo sapien

Cholera bacterium Vibrio cholera

Malaria parasite Plasmodium malariae.

Grey wolf Canis lupus.

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 ● From the table the lion and the tiger belong to the same genus Panthera but

are of different species, species name for the lion is leo and for the tiger is
tigris.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS.

M 2015 P21 Q2.The diagram shows an animal whose scientific name is Falco

peregrinus.

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To which species does it belong?
A bird B F. peregrinus C Falco D vertebrate

NOV 2012 P12 Q4 The picture shows an animal.

What is the name of this animal according to the binomial system?

A catus B male African lion C Panthera leo D top African carnivorous cat

M2017 P32 Q5 (a) Define the term species. [2]

METHODS OF CLASSIFYING ORGANISMS.

1.Traditional Methods.

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● Classification is traditionally based on the studies of morphology ( the study

of outward appearance of an organism) and anatomy( the study of the

internal structure of an organism).

● Organisms are also classified based on evolutionary

relationships(phylogenetic classification)

● With phylogenetic classification, organisms in the same group are believed

to have a common ancestor.

Disadvantages of the method.

● Its time consuming.

● It’s not very accurate.

2.Modern Method.

● The modern method involves the use of sequence of bases on the DNA and

sequence of amino acids on proteins.

● DNA is made of a sequence of bases which determine the order of amino

acids in proteins.
NB: The smaller the difference in the base sequence the more closely
related the species are.

● Each species has distinct number of chromosomes and unique sequence of

bases in its DNA making it identifiable and distinguishable from other

species.

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 EXAMPLE: Classification of primates based on DNA sequence.

● Genetic evidence using DNA provides information that humans have 1.2%

difference in genetic material with chimpanzees, 1.6% difference with

gorillas and 3.1% difference with the orang-tans.

● Bonobo and chimpanzees share the same percentage difference with

humans.

● Remember: The smaller the difference ,the more closely related the species

are.

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 NB: Organisms which share a more recent ancestor are more closely related
and have similar sequence of bases.
For example, the Chimpanzee and Bonobo share a recent ancestor so have
smaller difference in the sequence of bases in their DNA ,hence are more
closely related.

Activity:NOV 2017 P21 Q 2 The diagram shows a section of DNA from a chimpanzee.

Which diagram shows a section of DNA from the organism that is most closely related to
the chimpanzee?

Advantages of using base sequences in the DNA in classification.

● it is (more) accurate than traditional classification systems;

● easi(er) / cheap(er) / quick(er) / (more) efficient / to use than

other identification methods eg using external and internal features;

● allows large-scale identification of many species

simultaneously;

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 ● only trace samples are required;

SAMPLE QUESTIONS.

NOV 2016 P41 Q6 When molecules of DNA are used to classify species, only one

of the two DNA strands is sequenced.

First the DNA sequence from one strand of a DNA molecule from each species is

lined up against one strand from another species.

The bases of the DNA sequences from the same strand can then be compared with

each other.

Fig. 6.2 shows a short section from the DNA sequences of eight plant species.

There are ten differences between species A and species B. These differences

are shown in Fig. 6.2.

Fig. 6.2

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(b) The number of differences between the DNA sequences of the eight species

shown in Fig. 6.2 are recorded in Table 6.1.

Count the number of differences between the DNA sequences shown in Fig. 6.2

for:

• species C and species D

• species G and species H

Write your answers in Table 6.1 . [2]

(c) The most closely related species have the fewest differences between their

DNA sequences.

State which two plant species shown in Table 6.1 are most distantly related to

each other. [1]

(d) The most closely related species have the shortest distance from a branching

point on an classification tree.

Use the information in Table 6.1 to complete the classification tree in Fig. 6.3.

Write then letter corresponding to species B, C, D and G in the box next to the

correct branch of the classification tree. [3]

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FEATURES OF ORGANISMS.

● The cells of all living organisms are made of a cell membrane, cytoplasm

and DNA as genetic material.

● Their cytoplasm have small structures called ribosomes , floating freely in

the cytoplasm or attached to the membranes called rough endoplasmic

reticulum that carry out protein synthesis and enzymes that speed up
chemical reactions like respiration.

● There are two main types of cells, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

● Prokaryotic cell does not have a nucleus and a eukaryotic cell has a nucleus.

Five Kingdoms of living things

● All living things are divided into 5 kingdoms.

● Each kingdom has certain characteristics that all members of that group

shared. They are:

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 Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protoctists, Bacteria (Prokaryotes)

● A kingdom is made of groups called Phylla and a phyla made up groups

called classes

The Animal Kingdom.

Characteristics of animals.

● Their bodies are made up of many cells(multicellular).

● Cells have a nuclei but do not have cell wall and chloroplasts.

● They feed on organic substances made by plants(heterotrophic)

CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS.
● Animals are divided into two groups, the vertebrates(have backbones) and

invertebrates (do not have backbones).

VERTEBRATES.
● There are five classes of vertebrates and these are Fish, Amphibians,

Reptiles, Birds and Mammals.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLASSES OF VERTEBRATES.

1. Fish.

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 Characteristics of fish.

● Body covered with overlapping scales.

● Streamlined shape which offer minimal resistance to the water through

which they move.

● Breathe by means of gills covered by bone plate called operculum.

● Have fins for movement.

● They are cold blooded.

● Reproduce sexually but fertilization occurs outside the body.

2.Ampibians.

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Characteristics of amphibians.

● Body does not have scales but covered with a moist skin.

● Four limbs.

● Have ears.

● Cold blooded.

● Lay jelly covered eggs. Lava (tadpole) has gills and adult has lungs.

3.Repitiles.

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Characteristics of repitiles.

● Body covered with dry scales to reduce water loss..

● Lay eggs with tough rubbery shells.

● Have four limbs except snakes.

● They are cold blooded.

4.BIRDS.

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Characteristics of Birds.

● Body covered with feathers but legs are covered by scales.

● Have beaks.

● Lay hard -shelled eggs.

● They are warm blooded.-maintain constant body temperature.

5.MAMMALS.

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 Characteristics of mammals.

● Body covered with fur.

● Have whiskers.

● Have four different types of teeth.

● Give birth to live young ones.

● Have mammary glands which produce for the young one to

suck from the mother’s teat.

● They are homoithermic(warm- blooded.)-can maintain a

constant body temperature.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS.
M2017 p32 q5 (a) Define the term species. [2]

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(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.

INVERTEBRATES.

● Are animals which do not have backbones.

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 For examples arthropods.
ARTHROPODS.

● There are four classes of arthropods, these are,Crustaceans, Insects,

Arachnids and Myriapods..

● The word arthropod means jointed limbs and this is a feature common

to all arthropods.

● All have a hard exoskeleton.

● Have segmented body.

● In most arthropods the segments are grouped together to form distinct

regions,the head , thorax and abdomen.

1.INSECTS.eg House fly.

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 Characteristics of insects.

● Body divided into head, thorax and abdomen.

● Three pairs of legs.

● One pair of antannae.

● One pair of compound eyes.

● Usually has two pairs of wings

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2.ARACHNIDS e.g Spider.

Characteristics of arachnids.

● Four pairs of legs.

● Body divided into cephalothorax and abdomen.

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● Several pairs of simple eyes.

● Chelicerae for biting and poisoning.

3.CRUSTACEA e.g Lobster.

Characteristics of crustaceans.

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 ● Five or more pairs of legs.

● Body divided into cephalothorax and abdomen.

● Two pairs of antanae.

● One pair of compound eyes.

● Exoskeleton often calcified .

4.MYRIAPODS.e.g Millipede.

Characteristics of myriapods.

● Ten or more pairs of legs (usually one pair per segment)

● Body not obviously divided into thorax and abdomen.

● One pair of antanae.

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● Simple eyes.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS.

THE PLANT KINGDOM.

● All plants are green in colour ,caused by a pigment chlorophyll.

● Chlorophyll absorbs light from the sun and convert it to

chemical energy.

● They make their own food.

● They are multicellular.

● Have roots ,stems and leaves

1.FERNS.

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 Characteristics of ferns.

● Plants with roots.

● Have leaves called fronds which are divided into leaflets.

● Do not produce flowers.

● Reproduce by spores – spores develop in the structures called

sporangia..

2.FLOWERING PLANTS.

● They reproduce by means of flowers.

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● The seeds are produced inside the ovary within the flower.

● Flowering plants are divided into two groups , dicotyledons

and monocotyledons.

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COMPARISON OF DICOTS AND MONOCOTS.

FEATURE DICOTYLEDONOUS MONOCOTYLEDONOUS

PLANT. PLANT.

Leaf veins Branched Parallel

Leaves Broad with long leaf Long with short leaf stalk
stalk

Roots Tap root system Fibrous roots

Seeds Two cotyledons One cotyledon

Stem Vascular bundles in a Vascular bundles scattered.

ring.

Flowers Flower part occur in Flower parts in multiples of

multiples of 4 or 5 3

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KINGDOM FUNGI.
Characteristics of Fungi.

● Usually multicellular

● Have nuclei.

● Cell wall not made up of cellulose but chitin a protein.

● Do not have chlorophyll.

● Feed saprophytically or parasitically.

● Reproduce by spores or budding.

● Most fungi are not made of cells but of microscopic threads called hyphae,

hyphae specialize some grow vertically , the sporangiophore holding the

sporangium with spores and some grow over or through the food material.

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THE PROTOCTISTA .

Characteristics of Protoctists.

● Organisms are single celled.

● Cells have nuclei.

● Plant like- protoctists called algae have cells chloroplasts and cellulose cell

wall e,g Chlamydomonas.

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● Animal-like protoctists called protozoa do not have cellulose cell wall and

chloroplasts.e.g Paramecium,Plasmodium.

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THE PROKARYOTAE.

● These are bacteria.

● The organisms are single celled and do not have nuclei.

Characteristic of bacteria.

● Do not have nuclei.

● Often single-celled.

● Have cell walls, not made up of cellulose but made of murein

(peptidoglycan).

● Have circular DNA.

● Have no mitochondria.

● Have smaller ribosomes.

● Some have flagella .

● Some have slime capsule.

● Reproduce by binary fission.

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VIRUSES.
Viruses only reproduce.
Characteristics of Viruses.

● Viruses do not have cellular structure.

● Have protein coat(capsid) surrounding the genetic material which is either

RNA or DNA, the protein coat is made up of regularly protein units called
capsomeres.

● They only reproduce inside the host cell.

● They are smaller than bacteria.

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DICHOTOMOUS KEYS.

● Dichotomous means two branches.

● Each key is made up of a pair of contrasting features, starting with quite

general characteristic and progressing to more specific one.

● Dichotomous keys are used to identify unfamiliar organisms.

EXAMPLE.

Use the numbered key to the animals A-D below.

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

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Fig. 6.1

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

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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.

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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.

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