Characteristics Of Living Things
Key Notes:
Movement
- All living things can move on their own.
- Animals move to find food, escape predators, or seek shelter.
- Plants also show movement, like growing toward sunlight (phototropism).
Growth
- Living things grow in size over time.
- Growth occurs as they consume food and convert it into energy and body mass.
- For example, a seed grows into a plant, and a baby animal grows into an adult.
Reproduction
- All living things produce offspring, ensuring the continuation of their species.
- Animals give birth to babies or lay eggs, and plants produce seeds.
Nutrition
- Living things need food or nutrients to survive.
- Animals eat plants or other animals, while plants make their own food through photosynthesis.
Respiration
- All living things take in oxygen (or other gases) to break down food and release energy.
- Animals breathe using lungs, gills, or skin, while plants exchange gases through stomata.
Sensitivity to Stimuli
Living things respond to changes in their environment (stimuli).
Examples include:
- Animals reacting to danger.
- Plants bending toward light.
Excretion
- Living things remove waste materials from their bodies.
- Examples: Animals excrete through urine or sweat; plants release oxygen as a waste product of photosynthesis.
Cells as the Basic Unit of Life
- All living things are made of cells.
- Some organisms, like bacteria, are unicellular, while others, like humans, are multicellular.
Adaptation
- Living things adapt to their environment to survive.
- For example, camels store water to live in deserts, and polar bears have thick fur for cold climates.
Life Span
- Every living thing has a specific life span after which it dies.
- Life spans vary greatly across species.
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