characteristics of living things Flashcards
1
Q
biodiversity
A
variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem
2
Q
an entity is alive if…
A
it exhibits all of the following characteristics at least once during its existence
3
Q
characteristics of life
A
- growth and development
- reproduction
- adapt through evolution
- metabolism (use energy)
- movement
- irritability (responds to stimuli)
- composed of Cells
4
Q
growth and development
A
- growth: to get bigger in size
- development: change in the physical form or physiological (cellular) make-up of an organism
5
Q
reproduction
A
- all living organisms reproduce, either by sexual or asexual means
- can be applied to entire species or even to individual genes
6
Q
asexual reproduction
A
- single parent organism reproducing by itself
7
Q
sexual reproduction
A
- two parent organisms contributing genetic information
- combination of male and female sex cells
8
Q
adaptation though evolution
A
- process by which organisms become better suited to their environment
- adaptations occur over great periods of time
9
Q
evolution
A
biological change over time
10
Q
example of adaptation
A
desert plants have succulent waxy leaves and stems to store water and reduce water loss
11
Q
metabolism
A
- using energy
- obtain and use energy to carry out life processes
- autotrophs and heterotrophs
12
Q
autotrophs
A
make own food
13
Q
heterotrophs
A
must ingest food
14
Q
movement
A
may occur internally or at the cellular level
15
Q
irritability
A
- reaction to stimuli
- light, temperature, odour, sound, gravity, water, pressure
16
Q
made of ___
A
cells
- smallest unit of life capable of all life functions
- unicellular or multicellular
17
Q
unicellular organisms
A
- entire organism made of one cell
- bacteria and protists
18
Q
multicellular organisms
A
- made up of more than one cell
- plants, animals, fungi
