The Biosphere

Living beings

1.Characteristics of living
beings

2.The vital functions

3.Composition of living beings

4.The cell

5.Levels of organisation
Characteristics of living beings
All living beings have several characteristics in common:

- They have a similar chemical composition.

- They are made up by structural units called cells.

- They carry out the vital functions: nutrition,

interaction and reproduction.
Living Beings
What is the difference between a living being and an and
a dead being? And what about inert object?
Living Beings
● What are the vital functions of living beings?
What function?
Autotrophic: Organisms capable of transforming
inorganic matter into organic matter.

Heterotrophic: Organisms not capable of transforming

inorganic matter into organic matter. They take
organic matter from other organisms.
Heterotrophs or Autotrophs??
What
function?
ZYGOTE
What function?
What function?
 Stimulus

What function?
Receptor

Effector
Example of Interaction: make clear what the stimulus,
the receptor and the effector are.
Composition of the living beings
Composition of the living beings

Next to Hydrogen

Next to Hydrogen
Biomolecules
Inorganic biomolecules
● Not exclusive to living beings, but essential for life.
What are examples?
● Water and Mineral Salts
Saccharides – sugars -Carbohidrates
- Glucids
 Saccharides – sugars -- Glucids
Monosaccharides:
Glucose – source of energy
Disaccharide: lactose and sucrose
●Lactose is the sugar found in milk
●Sucrose is the sugar we all know
Polysaccharide: starch, glycogen, cellulose
● Starch is a carbohydrate used by plant as energy storage
● Glycogen is an energy storage in animals
● Cellulose is the material the plant´s cell wall is made.
Lipids
Insoluble in water
Lipids
● Fats - store energy in animals, and keeps us warm
● Oils - store energy in plants.
Lipids
Waxes – lipids that are impermeable, for protection.
Lipids

Cholesterol gives structure and

shape to cells and is part of the
brain.
Proteins
Proteins
● Biocromolecules with complex structures, made up
of chains of smaller molecules called Amino Acids.
Protein functions
● Structure for cells:
● Collagen – provides structure for skin and bones
● Keratin – structure for hair
Protein functions
● Transport substances around body:
● Haemoglobin protein in red blood cells that carries O2
Protein functions
Protection from microorganisms (bacteria)
● Antibodies
Nucleic Acids
Nucleic Acids
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
● Made of smaller molecules called Nucleotides
● They are the genetic material of living things

RNA
DNA
DNA DNA stores all genetic
information – the
information necessary
for development and
functioning of living
things.
 Cellular Metabolism
Anabolism Catabolism
Makes complex molecules out of simple Breaks down complex molecules to obtain
molecules. simple molecules.
Requires energy. Frees up energy.
Living Beings
What is the basic unit of life?
Cells
Cells Project:
Plants Vs Animals Vs Prokaryote
Levels of
Organization
 8. Species 9. Population
Group of organs with similar Group of individuals of the same
1. Atom
characteristics and the ability species that live in the same place.
The smallest unit that
to reproduce and have fertile
forms matter.
offspring.

2. Molecule
Grouping of atoms.
7. Organism
The individual living
10. Community or
thing at this
multicellular level. biocenosis
Group of populations
that live in the same
place and have a
relation with each
other.
3. Cell 6. System
Structural and Group of organs that
functional unit of life. act in a coordinated
way. 11. Ecosystem Area
formed by a
community and the
physical environment
in inhabits.
4. Tissue
Grouping of similar
5. Organ
cells with a combined
and specific function. Grouping of tissues 12. Biosphere
with a specific and Group of living things
determined function. that inhabit the Earth.
UNIT 5: Living beings Biology and Geology (1st ESO)

5. The levels of organisation

Living beings can be classified into two different groups: unicellular and multicellular.

- Unicellular living things have only one cell. E.g. paramecia, bacteria, etc.
In unicellular (or single-celled) organisms, the single cell performs all life functions. Sometimes they form
colonies, groups of cells in which everyone functions independently although they live together.

- Multicellular living things have many cells. E.g. plants and animals.
In multicellular living beings, cells work together to carry out the vital functions.
They are dependent on one another and they are organised in levels of organization.

-Cells are the basic units of living beings. They are specialised. Each
type has a unique shape and structure and has a specific function.
Example: muscle cells are log and can contract.
-Tissues are groups of cells with the same function. Example: muscle
cells form muscle tissue.
- Organs are groups of various tissues which act together.
Example: a muscle is an organ made up of muscle tissue, nerve tissue
shape number relationshipandreproduction size work
connective tissue. multicellular alone organisms
specialized nutrition - Systems unicellular
are made up of several organs. small functions complex
“We can classify the ............................... according to the .............................of cells that make
Example: the digestive system includes the stomach, the intestines, etc. them up, in two
groups that are: .....................................organisms, formed for a
single cell and ................................ organisms formed by many cells.

READING ACTIVITIES
Unicellular organisms live without other cells to help them. So the cell does all things that it needs to live:
…………………, ……………………..and ………………………….
5.1. Fill in blanks with the following words and complete the text:
Multicellular organisms are ………….…..organisms. They can have a …………….number of cells, or millions of cells.
These cells are not all the same. They have different ……………….. and
5.2. Classify
………………, theand
following
do only aelements into its the
kind of ………………in organisation
organism. The level
cells are……………………….. by themselves, they
cannot do all
Osseous tissue the vital …………………….
Stomach They need Muscle systemdo other work. They
other cells to live together, Digestive
Human but cannotsystem
live……………”
Spermatozoid Epithelial tissue Neuron Tree Heart
Cellular level Tissular level Organ level System level Organism level