Download Characteristics of Living Things

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Contain DNA
Grow and develop
Respond to their environment (stimuli)
Made of cells
Evolve (as a group)
Undergo metabolism
Maintain homeostasis
Reproduce
 DNA
is a molecule
used within cells of all
living things
o Stores information
needed to live, grow
and reproduce
o DNA is a code for
building proteins
 Growth
includes
getting larger in size or
height, weight
 Development
includes
an organism’s life cycle
A
stimulus is a signal
to which an organism
responds
A
response is an
organism’s reaction to
a stimulus
 Cells
are the basic
units of structure and
function
 All
cells come from
other cells
specialization
takes place in complex
multicellular organisms
Unicellular
Multicellular
Single cell
Many cells
Simple
More
complex
Remain
very small
Make up
larger
organism
 Cellular
 Traits
are passed from
one generation to the
next through DNA
o Physical - external
o Physiological – internal

Random changes in the genetic material of a cell are called
mutations
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Variations/changes in the genetic material of an organism
that enhance (improve) an organisms ability to survive and
reproduce are called adaptations
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Populations change over time due to natural selection or
survival of the fittest
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Evolution = change over time
 Living
things use
chemical reactions to
build up or break down
materials called
metabolism
 No
metabolism =
death!
 Have
relatively
constant internal
physical and chemical
conditions, called
homeostasis
 Ensures
that DNA is
passed from parent(s)
to offspring.
Sexual
Reproduction
Asexual
Reproduction
2
1
More variation
No variation
Humans & many
other animals
Bacteria
& most single
celled organisms