Characteristics of Living Organisms
Characteristics of Living Organisms
Growth
- All living organisms have the ability to grow.
- This growth is from within, where cells divide and specialise into different types, leading to increase in size and complexity.
- Organisms not only grow in size, but also in complexity – this is called development.
Reproduction
- An important property of life is the ability to reproduce or create organisms like themselves.
- This may be asexual (without the fusion of gametes) or sexual (with fusion of gametes) reproduction.
- The offspring produced carry characteristics from their parents – this process is governed by genetics.
Respiration
- All living beings perform a process called respiration, converting food into usable energy.
- In simple terms, it's the process of taking in oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide.
- This energy is used for all activities within the organism.
Sensitivity
- Living organisms are sensitive; they can respond and react to changes in their environment.
- This response may involve movement, secretion of hormones, or other physiological changes.
Nutrition
- All organisms take in and use nutrients — substances required for growth, repair, and normal functioning.
- Autotrophs, such as plants, create their own food, whereas heterotrophs, such as animals, must ingest their food.
Excretion
- Excretion is the process where waste substances are removed from the body.
- These waste products are the by-products of metabolic activities, and if not removed, can be hazardous to the organism.
Movement
- Most living organisms have the ability to move.
- This allows them to respond to their environment in many ways, such as by finding food, escaping from predators, or seeking a mate.
Remember, the seven characteristics listed above are not just applicable to animals, but also to plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, and archaea. There is a huge diversity in the living world, but every organism shares these basic processes.