Post on 02-Jan-2016
Characteristics of Living Things and Components of Life
April, 2011
Six Characteristics of Living Things
Living things are made of 1 or more cells the smallest unit can perform all life
functions has all the materials
necessary for life
Six Characteristics of Living Things
Living things sense and respond to change Stimulus-anything that causes a reaction or
change in an organism Homeostasis-maintaining a constant internal
state in a changing environment
Six Characteristics of Living Things
Living things reproduce Asexual reproduction - single parent produces
identical offspring Sexual reproduction - two parents produce
offspring
Six Characteristics of Living Things
Living things have DNA DNA- controls structure and function of cells Heredity - passing of traits from one generation
to the next
Six Characteristics of Living Things
Living things use energy Metabolism - total of all the chemical activities
the organism performs
Six Characteristics of Living Things
Living things grow and develop - all living things get larger and change as they grow (unicellular organisms divide)
Necessities of Life
Water - 70% of our bodies are water Air - oxygen and carbon dioxide used by a
number of organisms Shelter - some organisms stay in one place,
others migrate Food - used for energy
Who Eats What?
Producers - plants use light of sun to make sugar glucose from water and carbon dioxide
Consumers - eat plants and other animals, cannot make their own food
Decomposers - break down the nutrients in dead plants and animals
Organic Molecules
Proteins - made of amino acids, build structures, do certain jobs, and speed up chemical reactions (enzymes)
Carbohydrates - energy source and storage
Organic Molecules
Lipids Phospholipids create the cell membrane Fats and oils-store energy for use at later time
Organic Molecules
ATP- adenosine triphosphate-energy molecule in cells, made when cells break down glucose (sugar) from plants
Nucleic Acids- DNA and RNA; responsible for the creation of proteins that control cell function
Diagram of how ATP is made in cells through cellular respiration
Explanation of protein synthesis, the true function of DNA and RNA