What makes something alive ?

What are living things?

There are certain criteria that determine if something is living.

Yes, ALL 9 criteria must be met.

Do ALL 9 criteria have to be met?

Organism

• Anything that possesses all of the following characteristics of life.

• Living things R-CHARGEED !!

R -

All living things produce offspring. Making copies of individuals by genetic transfer, sexually or asexually.

eproduce

-Living organisms show an orderly structure (made up of cells)

Examples:

Leaf

Cross-section of worm

Centipede

C -C - ells

Example:

The ability to maintain internal conditions separate from an outside environment.

The human body maintains an average temperature of 98.6 ºF.

H -H - omeostasis

A living organism will respond to an environmental condition called a stimulus.

An adaptation is any characteristic of an organism that improves its chances of surviving in its environment

A plant growing in a specific direction due to a light stimulus.

A -A - dapt to the environmentR -R - espond to stimuli

Living Things Adjust To Their Surroundings

• -living things interact with the environment

• -environment- biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) factors that an organism must constantly interact with (air, water, temperature, other organisms, etc.)

• All of the changes that take place during the life of an organism. Maturing.

Amoeba absorbing nutrients

Growth rings in a tree

G -G - rowth Getting Bigger / Increasing materialD -D - evelopment

Growth-increase in number of cells

Metabolism. Chemical and energy transformations. All organisms need energy for all life activities. Even thinking requires a considerable amount of energy.

Transforming glucose into ATP for energy (to do work).

E -E - energy

The gradual accumulation of adaptations due to environmental stimuli. (Organisms with more suitable adaptations are more likely to survive and reproduce)

Example:

Owls, and other nocturnal animals have evolved large eyes for better night vision.

E -E - evolve