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What makes something living?
8 Characteristics of Living Things
Universal Genetic Code
Grow and Develop
Respond to Environment
Made of one or more cells
Reproduce
Maintain a stable internal environment
Obtain and use energy
Evolve
Universal Genetic Code
All living things store the complex info they need to
live, grow, and reproduce in the DNA
Almost identical for every organism on earth
Growth
Every organism has a particular pattern of growth
and development. Once organisms are fully
developed, cell growth is replacement event.
Respond to their Environment
When an organism detects and responds to stimuli
(a signal which an organism responds) in their
environment
Examples
Hibernation
Leaves
changing color
Phototropism
Being Chased
Made of one or more cells
A cell is the smallest unit that can carry out all functions
necessary for life.
Single Cell
Multicellular
Reproduction
When an organism produces new similar organisms.
There are two types
• Sexual (egg and Sperm)
• Asexual (a single organism making a copy of itself)
Asexual
Sexual
Note: Organisms don’t need to reproduce to live, but the
do need to reproduce to continue the species!
Maintain a Stable Internal Environment
All organisms need to keep their
internal environment stable,
even when conditions change
dramatically
Keep your body in a
balanced state
Obtain and Use Energy
All living things must take in
materials and energy to grow,
develop, and reproduce.
Metabolism combination of
chemical reactions which an
organism builds up or breaks
down these materials.
Eating drinking breathing and
excreting are all part of your
metabolism
As a group, living things evolve
Over generations,
organisms change over
time.
All life is linked to a
common origin 3.5 billion
years ago