Download characteristics of life - Hicksville Public Schools

 Aim:
How do we know the
 difference between living
 and nonliving things?
What is the science of biology?
Biology is the study of life
CHARACTERISTICS OF
LIFE
 Cells:
 Energy
Basic units of structure &
function
and Metabolism: Chemical
reactions in cells
 Homeostasis:
 Reproduction:
Internal Balance
Produce offspring
Cells
 Basic
units of
structure &
function
Living Things Are Made
Up of One or More
Cells
ENERGY and
METABOLISM
Energy is required to maintain life and
for growth and development.
Metabolism includes all of the
chemical reactions that occur in an
organism.
HOMEOSTASIS
Break down the word:
homeo - Constant or the same
stasis – balance
The ability of the body to maintain a
relatively constant internal condition,
regardless of the external environment.
REPRODUCTION
What do all these images have
in common? How are they
different?
Reproduction: the ability
of an organism to
produce a NEW
organism.
Eight Life Functions
 Nutrition
 Transport
 Cell
Respiration
 Excretion
 Synthesis
 Regulation
 Growth
 Reproduction
NUTRITION
 All
organisms get nutrients
through their food!
a. Autotrophic: refers to organisms
that make their own food
b. Heterotrophic: refers to organisms
that get nutrients from the environment
Heterotroph
Autotroph
Transport
 Organisms
circulate and absorb
materials through the cells (food and
waste)
 The circulatory system (blood)
transports nutrients to the cells
Cell Respiration
Chemical energy stored in nutrients is
released during cellular respiration
Occurs in the Mitochondria
SYNTHESIS
 To
make or to build from small to large.
 Many sugars make a carbohydrate
Many amino acids make a protein
Excretion
 Get
rid of Metabolic (cellular) waste
 Ex: CO2, urine, sweat
REGULATION
 To
control
 Nervous System (brain) and
Endocrine System (hormones)
GROWTH
 Increasing the size or number of cells
Cells increase in
size or cells split to
make new cells
REPRODUCTION
 To
have offspring (children)
 Asexual reproduction (one parent, cell
splits)
Sexual reproduction (two parents, sperm
and egg)
The Living Environment

1.
2.
3.
4.

Features of Life
List 4 characteristics that scientist look for when they want to determine life:
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Label the life characteristic that is represented in each diagram.
Under a microscope

Name:_____________________
Under a microscope
A mission to Mars has found a specimen and brought it back to Earth. As a biologist, your job is to
figure out if the following specimens is living or non living. Explain how you will determine whether it
is living or non living. (use___________________________________________________________________________
complete sentences)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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