What are the 8 characteristics of all living things?
- Made of one or more cells
- Are based in a universal genetic code
- Obtain and use material
- Grow and develop
- Reproduce
- Respond to their environment
- Maintain homeostasis
- As a group, they change over time
Something that is made of one cell is called: _______
Unicellular
Something that is made of more than one cell is called: _____
Multicellular
Give an example of something that is unicellular.
Bacteria, protists, some fungi, some plants etc.
Give an example of something multicellular.
Fungi, plants, animals
What is the universal genetic code?
DNA!
What does DNA stand for?
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
What are the 4 chemical letters that the DNA code uses?
A, T, C, G
Define autotrophic.
An organism that makes its own organic chemical food from inorganic chemicals.
An organism that eats or absorbs organic chemicals as food is called: ________
Heterotrophic
Define asexual reproduction.
Offspring comes from only one parent and are usually identical to it.
Define sexual reproduction.
Offspring comes from two parents and have some characteristics of each parent.
What are the 3 ways that an organism can respond to their environment?
- May involve movement towards/away from stimuli
- May occur by growing in certain directions
- May involve the release of chemicals in response to stimuli (toxins, pheromones)
Define homeostasis.
“Maintaining a steady internal state” of temperature, pH, saltiness, moisture…etc
Another word for “as a group, they change over time” is: ____
evolution!
Can evolution happen to individuals?
Nope.
Can evolution happen right away? (aka in a year, days, months).
Nope! It only happens from one generation to the next!
Define stimulus.
A signal to which an organism responds.
Define metabolism.
The combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials.
