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Comparing Living and Nonliving Things
It is difficult to formulate a concise definition of life. But, all living things share certain characteristics. In this
investigation, you will learn what these characteristics are. You will examine a variety of specimens and
classify them as living or nonliving, based on the presence or absence of these characteristics.
Procedure
a. Copy the chart shown below. Along the top of this chart are listed the characteristics that all living things
MUST have. Remember that a nonliving thing may have a few of these characteristics but not all.
Specimen
One or More Uses Energy Reponses or Adapted to
Reproduces
Grows &
Cells
Movement
Environment
Develops
b. Select a specimen from the demonstration table to examine. Study it carefully. Write the name of the
specimen in the first column of the chart. Ask yourself if this specimen possess each of the listed
characteristics. Record your answer as yes, no or cd (cannot determine). Base your answers on your
immediate observations, prior knowledge or information you can obtain from reference books.
c. Copy the chart shown below. Write the name of the specimen you are examining in the first column. In the
second column, decide the organism’s life category.
Specimen
Life Category
1- Alive
2- Alive, but dormant
3- Dead (once alive)
4- Product of a living thing
5- Never alive
d. Repeat steps B & C for each specimen on the demonstration table.
Analysis and Conclusion. Complete the following questions on notebook paper.
1. How many of the items had all of the characteristics of life and were once considered alive?
2. Of the things that were not considered alive, name one characteristic of life that none of them had.
3. What are the 8 main characteristics of life?
4. What are examples of how human beings show the characteristics of life?
 getting and using energy response homeostasis reproduction5. Label each of the following situations as one of the characteristics of life.
Situation
a. a cell divides
b. a giraffe eats leaves off of a tree
c. when using a microscope you see liver cells
d. you get goose bumps when it’s cold
e. plants capture sunlight to make glucose
f. a sperm cell and egg cell fuse to make a zygote
g. a rabbit’s fur turns white in the winter
Characteristic of Life