The Characteristics of life

Question 1

Give examples of microscopic organisms

Answer 1

Bacteria found on our skin and in decaying material, plankton in ponds and seawater, single-celled organisms such as Amoeba found in freshwater ponds and pools

Question 2

Give examples of larger organisms

Answer 2

Fungi such as moulds and mushrooms, ferns and mosses, flowering plants such as grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees along with animals such as earthworms, insects, snails, fish, frogs, birds, humans.

Question 3

Give examples of vertebrates

Answer 3

Fish, Reptiles, Birds

Question 4

Give examples of invertebrates

Answer 4

Worms, Insects, Arachnids

Question 5

Give examples of plants

Answer 5

Algae, Moss, Conifers (trees that produce cones) and flowering plants (produces flowers)

Question 6

Give examples of other plant organisms

Answer 6

Bacteria, Fungi, Amoeba

Question 7

What is a metabolism?

Answer 7

Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions in an organism/cell

Question 8

There are two types of metabolism, what are they?

Answer 8

Anabolism and Catabolism

Question 9

What’s anabolism?

Answer 9

It joins smaller molecules together to form bigger molecules, energy is needed. Example, photosynthesis

Question 10

What’s catabolism?

Answer 10

It breaks down large molecules into smaller molecules, energy is released. Example, respiration

Question 11

Metabolism includes reactions and processes of what?

Answer 11

Growth, movement, response, respiration and excretion.

Question 12

What are metabolic reactions controlled by?

Answer 12

Chemicals called enzymes

Question 13

What are organisms with a high metabolic rate?

Answer 13

They are fast acting , eg, mice and rabbits

Question 14

What are organisms with low metabolic rates?

Answer 14

They are slow-acting, eg, koala

Question 15

What is the spontaneous generation? Eg,

Answer 15

Living things could arise from non-living matter. He saw that maggots formed on rotten meat and frogs emerged from dried mud. Meat made the maggots and the mud formed the frogs

Question 16

What is the continuity of life?

Answer 16

It means that living things arise from other living things of the same type, also known as biogenesis

Question 17

What is life?

Answer 17

Life is defined as the possession of all the following characteristics : SNORE
Sensitivity [response], Nutrition, Organisation, Reproduction, Excretion

Question 18

What do these characteristics allow organisms to do?

Answer 18

To carry out all the reactions necessary to survive and reproduce

Question 19

What is organisation?

Answer 19

It means that living things are composed of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems

Question 20

What is the basic organisational feature of life?

Answer 20

Living things are composed of cells

Question 21

Give an example of levels of organisation?

Answer 21

Cell - tissue - organ - organ system -organism - population

Red blood cell - heart - circulatory system - human being - all the people living in one area

Question 22

What is nutrition?

Answer 22

It’s the way organisms obtain and use food

Question 23

Give examples of how living things obtain food

Answer 23

Plants - sunlight energy to make food in photosynthesis

Animals - food from other organisms

Question 24

Why is the sun known as the basic source of energy for all nutrition?

Answer 24

Plants use sunlight directly to make food. The energy in plants is passed on to animals when they eat plants

Question 25

What is excretion?

Answer 25

It’s the removal of waste products of metabolism from the body

Question 26

Why is excretion important?

Answer 26

Many processes produce poisonous waste that could damage organism if allowed to accumulate

Question 27

Why do plants have less need for excretion?

Answer 27

Because they make their own food and do not produce or take in as much waste

Question 28

What is response?

Answer 28

It’s the way in which all living things react to changes [called stimuli] in their environment or surroundings

Question 29

List animal stimuli

Answer 29

Light, temperature, pressure and sound using eyes, ears, nose, skin that allow to respond. Often respond by movement

Question 30

List plant stimuli

Answer 30

Slower and less obvious. Plants grow and move in response to factors such as water, light, gravity, touch and chemicals. [stems bend towards light]

Question 31

What is reproduction?

Answer 31

It’s the production of new individuals

Question 32

What are the two types of reproduction?

Answer 32

Asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction

Question 33

What is asexual reproduction?

Answer 33

Offspring of only one parent which is identical to the parent

Question 34

What is sexual reproduction?

Answer 34

Union of gametes formed by two parents and contains genes from both parents

Question 35

What is metabolism controlled by?

Answer 35

Chemicals called enzymes

Question 36

What do plants excrete?

Answer 36

Waste gases through openings called stomata on the underside of leaves

Question 37

What are the excretory structures in humans?

Answer 37

Skin, lungs and urinary system

Question 38

What are the main products of excretion in humans

Answer 38

Carbon dioxide, salts, surplus water and small amounts of urea

Question 39

What is locomotion

Answer 39

When animals move very obviously from place to place