Characteristics of Life

Question 1

what are the characteristics of life?

Answer 1

Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Control
Nutrition
Excretion
Reproduction
Growth

Question 2

define movement

Answer 2

the ability to move within the environment and/or move the environment within itself

Question 3

define respiration

Answer 3

the release of energy through biochemical pathways such as respiration

Question 4

define nutrition

Answer 4

taking on substances as an energy source or building/repair materials

Question 5

define excretion

Answer 5

the removal of waste products from cells (or whole organism)

urine is excretion - removing waste products
faeces is egestion - undigested/unused

Question 6

define growth/development

Answer 6

changes in size or shape

Question 7

define reproduction

Answer 7

the ability to replicate life by making copies of itself

bacteria split in half asexually
animals, plants, fungi etc reproduce sexually

Question 8

define sensitivity/response to surroundings

Answer 8

sensitivity to its environment and ability to respond to the environment (internal or external)

ranging from detecting light (bacteria) to reflexes (humans)
response to internal surroundings: getting rid of water/salt / changing body temperature

Question 9

define control

Answer 9

organs have systems to ensure that their bodies have optimal conditions eg. blood sugar, temperature, water content etc

Question 10

what are the five kingdoms of life?

Answer 10

• animals
• plants
• prokaryotes
• fungi
• protoctista

Question 11

describe qualities possessed by animals and give an example

Answer 11

• multi cellular
• cells with a membrane-bound nucleus
• usually have nervous coordination
• cells without chloroplasts, vacuole or cell wall
• often store carbohydrates as glycogen
• linear DNA

ie. dogs, humans, fish, cats etc

Question 12

describe the qualities of plants and give examples

Answer 12

• multi cellular
• cells with nucleus
• cells have chloroplasts, vacuole, cell wall made of cellulose
• store carbohydrates as starch

eg lettuce, sunflowers, grass

Question 13

describe the qualities of prokaryotes and give examples

Answer 13

• very small single cells
• no membrane bound nucleus
• have cell wall (not made of cellulose) cell membrane and plasmids
• some photosynthesise, most externally digest

eg. e-coli, archaea, algae, spirogyra

Question 14

describe the qualities of fungi and give examples

Answer 14

• body made up of a mass of fine white strands called hyphae
• hyphae build up into a mycelium
• no true cell structure, multi-nuclear threads instead
• do not photosynthesise
• secrete enzymes into food and absorb the products of digestion
• store carbohydrates as glycogen

eg. fly agaric, yeast, mould

Question 15

describe the qualities of protoctista and give examples

Answer 15

• cells with nucleus
• single cell organisms (VERY rarely can be multicellular)

eg. amoeba, paramecium

Question 16

give an example of a disease caused by a virus

Answer 16

common cold