Variety of living organisms

Question 1

What are all the living organisms classified in (in terms of the five kingdoms)?

Answer 1

Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protoctists, Prokaryotes

Question 2

Eukaryotic organisms

Answer 2

Can be a multicellular or single-celled and are made up of cells that contain a nucleus with a distinct membrane

Question 3

Prokaryotic organisms

Answer 3

are in a separate kingdom and are different from eukaryotes as they are always single-celled and do not contain a nucleus (instead, the nuclear material of prokaryotic cells is found in the cytoplasm). E.g. Bacteria

Question 4

Characteristics of Animals

Answer 4

• Multicellular
• Contains a nucleus with a distinct membrane
• No cellulose cell walls
• No chloroplasts
• Feed on other organic substances made by other living things
• Store carbohydrates as glycogen
• Have nervous coordination
• Able to move

Question 5

Characteristics of Plants

Answer 5

• Multicellular
• Contains a nucleus with a distinct membrane
• Has cellulose cell walls
• Contains chloroplasts
• Feed by photosynthesis
• Store carbohydrates as starch or sucrose
• No nervous coordination

Question 6

Characteristics of Fungi

Answer 6

• Usually multicellular but some are single-celled (e.g. yheast)
• Made up of thread-like structures
• Contain a nucleus with a distinct membrane,
• Cell walls made of chitin
• Do not contain chloroplasts
• Feed by secreting extracellular digestive enzymes onto the food and then absorbing the digested molecule
• Some are parasitic
• Stores carbohydrates as glycogen, no nervous coordinates

Question 7

Characteristics of Protoctists

Answer 7

• Are mainly microscopic and single-celled but some aggregate (group together) into larger forms
• Contain a nucleus with a distinct membrane
• Some have cell walls and chloroplasts meaning some can carry out photosynthesis
• No nervous coordination

Question 8

Prokaryotes

Answer 8

Are different from the other four kingdoms (which are all eukaryotes) as prokaryotic organisms are always single-celled and do not contain a nucleus
Instead, the nuclear material of prokaryotic cells is found in the cytoplasm. E.g. Bacteria are prokaryotic organisms

Question 9

Characteristics of Bacteria

Answer 9

• Microscopic single-celled organisms
• Has a cell wall (not made of cellulose) and cell membrane and cytoplasm and plasmid
• Lacks a nucleus but instead does contain a circular chromosome of DNA
• Lacks mitochondria and other membrane-bound organelles found in eukaryotic cells

Question 10

Pathogen

Answer 10

Is any microorganism that causes disease in another organism (e.g. in plants or animals). Many microorganisms are pathogens including bacteria, fungi, protoctists, viruses

Question 11

Pathogenic bacteria

Answer 11

Do not always infect the hosts of cells, they can remain within body cavities or spaces

Question 12

Pathogenic fungi

Answer 12

Fungal diseases are much more common in plants than animals

Question 13

Pathogenic protoctists

Answer 13

Is a protist that causes severe forms of malaria in humans

Question 14

Viruses

Answer 14

Are not usually included in the classification of living organisms as they are not considered to be alive

Question 15

Characteristics of Viruses

Answer 15

• Small particles
• Parasitic and can only reproduce inside living cells
• Can infect every type of living organism
• has no cellular structure but instead has a protein coat