Characteristics
of Life
Concept List
Your notes should be organized and easy
to read. These concept words should be
highlighted or underlined and aligned at
the left side of the page. The definition or
explanation should be on the right side of
the page. See in class example
notebook.
› cell
› reproduction
› chemicals
› spontaneous
that
make up cells
› stimulus
› response
› homeostasis
› growth
› development
generation (why/
how this was
disproved)
› heterotroph
› autotroph
Biology
Bio = life
ology = the study of
What is Life?
What characteristics do
all living things share?
1. All living things contain one or more cells. A cell is the basic unit of life. Unicellular-­‐ single celled organism examples: amoeba, paramecium Mul,cellular-­‐ organism contains more than one cell examples: tree, human Brain-Eating Amoeba
What characteristics do all
living things share?
1. All living things contain one or more cells. The cells are composed of chemicals. Water -­‐ the most abundant Carbohydrates-­‐ for energy Proteins & Lipids-­‐ building materials Nucleic Acids-­‐ contain gene>c material The composition
of a bacterial
cell
Most of a cell is
water (70%).
The remaining
30% contains
varying
proportions of
structural and
functional
molecules.
What characteristics do all
living things share?
2. All living things have the ability to
reproduce.
Whether the organism is a rabbit, or a tree, or a
bacterium, life will create more life.
If a species cannot create the next generation,
the species will go extinct.
Reproduction is the process of making the next
generation.
2. All living things have the ability to reproduce.
Living things come from living things. 400 years ago people though that living things came from non-­‐living things (Spontaneous Genera>on). Francesco Redi, Louis Pasteur did experiments to disprove this theory. Disproving Spontaneous Genera>on Redi Pasteur What characteristics do all
living things share?
3. Living things grow & develop.
Growth- an increase in the size of an organism,
results in an increase in the amount of living
material and the formation of new structures.
Development- a progressive change in an
organism over time, all of the changes that
take place during the life of an organism
What characteristics do all
living things share?
4. All living things use energy. Energy is the ability to make things
change.
› maintain
balance
› grow, reproduce
› and carry out other life functions
What characteristics do all
living things share?
4. All living things use energy. ›  Organisms
that get energy from the
food they eat are called heterotrophs.
›  Organisms
that use energy from the
sun to make their own food (which
they then use for energy) are called
autotrophs.
›  This process is called photosynthesis.
What characteristics do all
living things share?
5. Living things react to s,muli. A s,mulus is something in the environment that causes a reac>on, or a response. A response is an ac>on or change in behavior. What characteristics
do all living things share?
5. Living things react to s,muli. › An
organism must respond to
changes in the internal
environment as well.
› the
level of water, nutrients, and
minerals inside the body
› body temperature and hormone
levels
What characteristics
do all living things share?
5. Living things react to s,muli. › The
regulation of an organism’s
internal environment to maintain
conditions suitable for life is
called homeostasis. So… Is a Virus Alive?
How A Virus Spreads
The Levels of
Biological
Organization