The Characteristics of life Flashcards
Give examples of microscopic organisms
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
Give examples of larger organisms
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.
Give examples of vertebrates
Fish, Reptiles, Birds
Give examples of invertebrates
Worms, Insects, Arachnids
Give examples of plants
Algae, Moss, Conifers (trees that produce cones) and flowering plants (produces flowers)
Give examples of other plant organisms
Bacteria, Fungi, Amoeba
What is a metabolism?
Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions in an organism/cell
There are two types of metabolism, what are they?
Anabolism and Catabolism
What’s anabolism?
It joins smaller molecules together to form bigger molecules, energy is needed. Example, photosynthesis
What’s catabolism?
It breaks down large molecules into smaller molecules, energy is released. Example, respiration
Metabolism includes reactions and processes of what?
Growth, movement, response, respiration and excretion.
What are metabolic reactions controlled by?
Chemicals called enzymes
What are organisms with a high metabolic rate?
They are fast acting , eg, mice and rabbits
What are organisms with low metabolic rates?
They are slow-acting, eg, koala
What is the spontaneous generation? Eg,
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
What is the continuity of life?
It means that living things arise from other living things of the same type, also known as biogenesis
What is life?
Life is defined as the possession of all the following characteristics : SNORE
Sensitivity [response], Nutrition, Organisation, Reproduction, Excretion
What do these characteristics allow organisms to do?
To carry out all the reactions necessary to survive and reproduce
What is organisation?
It means that living things are composed of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems
What is the basic organisational feature of life?
Living things are composed of cells
Give an example of levels of organisation?
Cell - tissue - organ - organ system -organism - population
Red blood cell - heart - circulatory system - human being - all the people living in one area
What is nutrition?
It’s the way organisms obtain and use food
Give examples of how living things obtain food
Plants - sunlight energy to make food in photosynthesis
Animals - food from other organisms
Why is the sun known as the basic source of energy for all nutrition?
Plants use sunlight directly to make food. The energy in plants is passed on to animals when they eat plants
What is excretion?
It’s the removal of waste products of metabolism from the body
Why is excretion important?
Many processes produce poisonous waste that could damage organism if allowed to accumulate
Why do plants have less need for excretion?
Because they make their own food and do not produce or take in as much waste
What is response?
It’s the way in which all living things react to changes [called stimuli] in their environment or surroundings
List animal stimuli
Light, temperature, pressure and sound using eyes, ears, nose, skin that allow to respond. Often respond by movement
List plant stimuli
Slower and less obvious. Plants grow and move in response to factors such as water, light, gravity, touch and chemicals. [stems bend towards light]
What is reproduction?
It’s the production of new individuals
What are the two types of reproduction?
Asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction
What is asexual reproduction?
Offspring of only one parent which is identical to the parent
What is sexual reproduction?
Union of gametes formed by two parents and contains genes from both parents
What is metabolism controlled by?
Chemicals called enzymes
What do plants excrete?
Waste gases through openings called stomata on the underside of leaves
What are the excretory structures in humans?
Skin, lungs and urinary system
What are the main products of excretion in humans
Carbon dioxide, salts, surplus water and small amounts of urea
What is locomotion
When animals move very obviously from place to place
