Characteristics & Classifications of Living Organisms Flashcards
Movement
Movement is an action by an organism causing a change of position or place.
What do plants direct their growth towards? (tropism)
Light, or into the soil
Why would an animal move location? (locomotion)
Animals move about to look for food, water and shelter, to escape from danger and also to find a mate.
Respiration
Respiration is the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy.
Aerobic respiration definition
It is the process of cellular respiration that takes place in the presence of oxygen gas to produce energy from food.
Anaerobic respiration definition.
Anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen and is defined as the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy without using oxygen.
Word formula for aerobic respiration
glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy
Word formula for anaerobic respiration
glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide + energy
How much energy does anaerobic and aerobic respiration transfer?
Aerobic respiration is a large transfer, anaerobic is a small transfer
Sensitivity
Sensitivity, or irritability, is the ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment.
What do animals respond to in the environment?
Animals are sensitive to sound, light, chemicals, touch, pressure and temperature.
What do plants respond to in the environment?
Plants respond to their surroundings by growing towards or away from stimuli such as light, gravity and water.
Growth
Growth is a permanent increase in size and is seen in all living things. Growth involves using food to produce new cells. It also leads to changes in the form of many cells and the formation of new organs and tissues.
What is the best way to measure growth of an organism?
Growth is best measured by measuring the dry mass of an organism. Dry mass is the mass of a sample when it is completely dried. Dry mass excludes the mass of water, as the water concentration in biological material can fluctuate.
Reproduction
Reproduction is the process that makes more of the same kind of organism. All living organisms have the ability to produce offspring and to pass on their genetic material to new generations. This characteristic is important for the survival of the species.
