Download Characteristics of Life

Characteristics of Life
What defines LIFE?
1. Cells
All living things have at least one
cell.
2. Organization
Living things are highly organized, from the
smallest part to the largest.
Complex organism, like humans, are
multicellular. Cells are organized into tissues,
which have a common function like a muscle.
Tissues are organized into organs like the heart.
3. Energy Use
All living organisms are able to
get their own energy from food
or produce their own energy.
4. Respond to the environment
All living organisms are able to
react /respond to a stimulus in
their environment.
Homeostasis – maintain stable
internal conditions.
5. Growth
All living things are able to
develop and grow.
They may do this by growing
larger cells or by cell division to
add more cells.
6. Reproduction
All living organisms are able to create
other organisms similar to themselves.
Reproduction is not essential for
the survival of an individual organism,
it is essential for the continuity of life.
7. Adaptation
All living creatures are able to change
behaviors and over time physical traits to
better fit their environment.
• Many non-living things have some
characteristics of life. For example: ice
crystals may grow, a television uses energy,
and water moves.
• All seven characteristics of life must be
present for something to be alive.
Levels of Organization
1. Cellular Level
• The smallest unit of life capable of carrying
out all the functions of living things.
2. Tissue Level
• A group of similar cells that
perform a specific in an
organism
3. Organ Level
• Several different types of
tissues that function together for
a specific purpose
4. Organ System Level
• Several organs working
together to perform a specific
function
5. Organism Level
• All the organ systems of the body
functioning together with one another
• Makes up the organism
6. Population Level
• A group of organisms of the
same species that live together
in a particular location
• Species -
7. Community Level
• All the populations of different
species living in a particular
location
8. Ecosystem Level
• All the communities of an area
plus the nonliving factors of the
environment
9. Biosphere
• All the ecosystems