Exam 1 Characteristics Of Life

Question 1

Catabolism

Answer 1

Involves breaking down large, complex molecules into smaller, similar ones.

Ex: splitting of protein in food into amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.

Question 2

Anabolism

Answer 2

Uses the energy from catabolism to build the structural and functional components of the body.

Ex: the synthesis of proteins that make up muscles and bones.

Question 3

Responsiveness

Answer 3

Ability to detect and respond to changes in the external or internal environment.

Ex: neurons respond by generating electrical signals, called ACTION POTENTIALS.

Muscle respond by CONTRACTING: they become shorter to move body parts

Endocrine cells in the pancreas respond to elevated blood glucose leva, by secreting the hormone insulin.

Question 4

Movement

Answer 4

Motion of the whole body, individual organs, single cells or even organelles inside cells.

Ex: after eating a meal, the gallbladder will release bile to help with digestion.

Question 5

Growth

Answer 5

An increase in the size that results from an increase in the number of size of cells.

Question 6

Differentiation

Answer 6

This is the change that a cell undergoes to develop from an unspecialized to a specialized state.

Ex: fertilized egg -> embryo -> fetus -> infant -> adult

Question 7

Reproduction

Answer 7

Organisms reproduce, creating subsequent generations of similar organisms.

Question 8

Metabolism

Answer 8

The SUM of all the chemical processes that occur in the body.