Characteristics of living organism

Characteristics of Living Things

Living things are made of cells. Cells are the basic building blocks of living things.

Living things have movement. This movement can be quick or very slow.

All living things have a metabolism.

Living things grow.

Response to environment.

Reproduction.

Characteristics of living things

There are seven activities which make organisms different from

non-living things. These are the seven characteristics of living

organisms.

1 Nutrition

Living things take in materials from their surroundings that they

use for growth or to provide energy. Nutrition is the process by

which organisms obtain energy and raw materials from nutrients

such as proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

2 Respiration

Respiration is the release of energy from food substances in all

living cells. Living things break down food within their cells to

release energy for carrying out the following processes.

3 Movement

All living things move. It is very obvious that a leopard moves but

what about the thorn tree it sits in? Plants too move in various

different ways. The movement may be so slow that it is very

difficult to see.

4 Excretion

All living things excrete. As a result of the many chemical

reactions occurring in cells, they have to get rid of waste products

which might poison the cells. Excretion is defined as the removal of

toxic materials, the waste products of metabolism and substances

in excess from the body of an organism.

5 Growth

Growth is seen in all living things. It involves using food to

produce new cells. The permanent increase in cell number and size

is called growth.

6 Reproduction

All living organisms have the ability to produce offspring.

7 Sensitivity

All living things are able to sense and respond to stimuli around

them such as light, temperature, water, gravity and chemical

substances.

Learn these seven characteristics of living organisms. They form

the basis of the study of Biology. Each one of these characteristics

will be studied in detail during the course. Whilst many other

things carry out one or more of the above processes, only living

organisms possess all of these characteristics.