Name:___________________________________
Aim#4: What is Life?
Textbook: 1.3-Studying Life (p.17-23)
Period:________________
Date:____________
1. What do all of these organisms have in common?
How are they different?
They are all living organisms.
They all must carry out the life processes
to survive.
They carry out the life processes
in many different ways.
2. What is Biology?
The study of:
a. Origins and history of life
b. Structures of living things
c. Interactions of living things
d. Function of living things
3. What do Biologists do?
a. Study the diversity of life
b. Research diseases
c. Develop technologies
d. Improve agriculture
e. Preserve the environment
4. Characteristics of Life: LIVING THINGS…
a. Are made up of one or more cells
i. Unicellular
vs.
Multicellular
Unicellar-single celled (ex. Paramecia) Organelles carry out life functions
Multicellular- many celled (ex. Humans) Organs/systems carry out life functions
b. Display organization cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism
i. For example:
- Organelles in a paramecium
- Specialized cells in multicellular organisms (ex blood cells)
c. Grow and Develop
i. Growth- increase in size by increasing cell size (to an extent) or amount cells
ii. Development- increase in ability or skill (differentiated cells during embryonic
development)
d. Reproduce- produce offspring
i. How can we explain individual organisms that do not reproduce? (For example,
neutered dogs and cats)
Reproduction is necessary for a species (so they don’t become extinct), but not for each
individual organism
ii. Species- a group of organisms that can reproduce fertile offspring
e. Respond to stimuli
i. Stimulus- change in the environment
ii. Response- body’s reaction
iii. Examples: Hot- sweat, cold-shiver, increase blood sugar-produce insulin
f. Require energy
i. Metabolism: sum of all life processes (chemical reactions)
ii. Autotroph
vs.
Heterotroph
Autotroph- makes own food
Heterotroph- consumes food
g. Maintain Homeostasis
i. Homeostasis- stable internal environment (balance, stability, equilibrium)
ii. For example: changes in altitude
h. Have adaptations that can evolve over time (evolution)
i. Adaptation: trait an organism is born with that helps it survive in its environment
ii. Why are adaptations important? Affects survival
Life Processes/Activities
* MR. STRANGER
M
METABOLISM
R
REGULATION
S
SYNTHESIS
T
TRANSPORT
R
RESPIRATION
A
ASSIMILATION
N
NUTRITION
G
GROWTH
E
EXCRETION
R
REPRODUCTION
The chemical reactions that happen in the cells of
living organisms to sustain life (includes all of the life
processes)
A ___________________________________ to a
change in the internal/external environment.
Building up of ____________________________ by
joining together small molecules
Intake (_______________) of needed materials and
their distribution (_______________)
Breaking down food to generate
____________________
When an organism incorporates large molecules into
itself
Intake of food (_______________), breaking it down
into usable forms (_______________), and
eliminating any food that cannot be digested
(_______________)
Increase in _______________ of an individual or cell
Getting rid of _____________________________
(Ex. urine or sweat)
Making of ____________________
Locomotion- self initiated movement (helps organisms get food, escape enemies, find a
mate, seek shelter)
*The sum of all of these activities =
________METABOLISM_________________________________________________
* Why do individuals need to carry out all of these life processes?
TO MAINTAIN ______________HOMEOSTASIS______________________________!