Definition of Life Flashcards
What are the 7 pillars of life
Program, Improvisation, Compartmentalization, Energy, Regeneration, Adaptability, Seclusion
What are the most important properties of life?
Reproduction, composed of cells (look in microscope) energy and program (exhibit homeostasis)
What are the easiest characteristics of life to identify? How would you do that?
Growth (increases in weight or shape), Reproduction (new individuals get in the sample), Sensitivity to a stimulus (disturb the equilibrium)
What would be observed if a sample can metabolize energy?
There would be a difference of temperature in the place where I examine the sample as the time that I take to observe it goes on. Also, if it is given nutrients, they would go out and there could be waste coming out of the organism.
Is growth always an increase in height, weight or size?
No, microbial growth is the apparition of new individuals
What is life? Give a definition.
Life is when an organism uses energy from its environment in order to exhibit homeostasis, responding to shifts in the conditions of the environment it is in. Life is also organized in such a way that organisms perform all of those energy transformations in one or many places (that are coordinated based on specific functions) to maintain an equilibrium with its environment. These places are called cells. Depending on the case, an organism exhibiting life will either grow and develop, go through or go away from a stimuli or reproduce (and evolve, by correcting technicalities in its DNA) to adapt to the environment and maintain the equilibrium or order to which its cells are accustomed.
What is homeostasis?
Homeostasis is the state of steady internal, physical, and chemical conditions maintained by living systems. This is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and includes many variables, such as body temperature and fluid balance, being kept within certain pre-set limits (homeostatic range). Other variables include the pH of extracellular fluid, the concentrations of sodium, potassium and calcium ions, as well as that of the blood sugar level, and these need to be regulated despite changes in the environment, diet, or level of activity. Each of these variables is controlled by one or more regulators or homeostatic mechanisms, which together maintain life.
What is a feature provided by the seclusion of life?
By organizing certain functions in some specific places, the specificity of systems allows living organisms to be more effective. For example, very specific enzymes serve very specific purposes.
What does the living lack to become more perfect more quickly?
It lacks some specific feedback. Instead, to become more perfect, the living as to reproduce and change settings in its genes over generations. Reproduction is a way for organisms to regenerate when flaws are too pervasive.
How would you test if a living organism exhibits homeostasis?
I would change a parameter of the environment of the sample and observe how it responds, if it does. For example, I could change the temperature or the pH of the habitat.
Give an example of something that exhibits homeostasis but that is not living.
A buffer solution in chemistry
Give an example of something that requires energy, but that is not living.
A vehicle or a computer
Give an example of a living thing that cannot reproduce.
A mule, an infertile individual
Give an example of something that can reproduce, but that is not living.
Crystals, viruses
Give an example of something that can grow, but that is not living.
A storm, hair, the economy, mountains
