Characteristics of Living Things Flashcards
What is the key building block of life?
Carbon
What is important about Carbon?
Carbon bonds readily with a variety of different elements and compounds, making possible the great chemical complexity necessary for life.
Life forms are _____-based?
carbon-based. Molecular constructs are complex, but carbon is an element that bonds very readily with every other element.
How do we conventionally define “life”? What are the seven characteristics
- Homeostasis
- Organization
- Metabolism
- Growth
- Adaptation
- Response to Stimuli
- Reproduction
What is Homeostasis, how does it apply to life?
How an organism maintains a vary of factors effective for metabolism, etc. By maintaining its body temperature- warm blooded or cold blooded. Do they internally regulate body temperature (warm blooded) or do they use external factors to internally regulate body temp (cold-blooded). Their actual blood temperature is not different.
What is Organization, in relation to life?
we have organelles that make up cells, cells that make up tissues, tissues that make up organs, organs that make up organ systems, and organ systems that make organisms.Organization is in just about every living thing. Even plants have complex and organized system of organelles.
How is Metabolism considered part of the definition of life?
its a way of utilizing and harnessing energy.. Eating plants and other animals.
What is “growth” in relation to life?
mitosis, how cells divide.
How is “adaptation” part of life?
evolution, natural selection, that sort of thing.
How are “responses to stimuli” a part of life?
every little thing responds, even jellyfish who have no brain at all, they all react to vibrations in the water.
How is “reproduction” a part of life?
living things must have a way to reproduce, sexually or a-sexually.
Organisms need a _______ that provides food, water, and a method of homeostasis and reproducing
habitat.
What are animals cells comprised of? What organelles?
Nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, cytoplasm, and cell membrane
Role of the Nucleus
brain of the cell, holds the DNA chromosomes. Controls other activities.
Role of the Mitochondria
Powerhouse, they metabolize things and create energy.
Ribosomes
holds RNA- ribonucleic acid. Translate DNA to RNA. They create protein. Assist in communication of the cell.
Role of the cytoplasm
everything inside cell membrane, the goo where the crap is floating.
The Cell Membrane
holds everything in. Selectively permeable- lets only in certain things.. lets in food and oxygen and lets out waste.
What are inside Plant cells? What are the additional organelles from animal cells?
they have many of the same as animal cells, but additional ones.
- vacuole
- chloroplast
- cell wall
What is the vacuole?
it is a large storage container (think of a bag on a vacuum cleaner.. holds in things such as fluid.)
What is in the chloroplast?
Holds chlorophyl, which gives plants a green color and is important for photosynthesis.
What does the cell wall do?
It is the tick outer layer that protects the cell and gives it structure. Plants don’t need a structure because they have a protective cell wall.
How do cells divide? (Cell division)
Most cells divide via mitosis.
ex: A child growing into an adult- cells divide- mitosis
ex: a cut healing itself - cells divide- mitosis
What are the four main phases in cell division?
- Prophase
- Metaphase
- Anaphase
- Telephase
