Characteristics of Life
Opening Questions:
1. How many bacteria do you
think cover your body?
2. Are all of them bad
bacteria?
Characteristics of Life
1. 6 billion—
Extremely small and can fit
2. Not all bacteria are
bad…actually the ones on
your skin (known as
NORMAL FLORA) help to
keep the bad ones away….

http://textbookofbacteriology.net/normalflor
a.html
Main Learning Outcome
Describe
the levels of
organization of life.
(3.1.10 A1, 3.1.10 A2
and 3.1.10 A5)
A. Introductory Terms
1. BIOLOGY
The study of life
BioLife
ologystudy of
2. ORGANISM
Any living thing
3. BIOSPHERE
A
thin layer of air, land and
water that is home to all
living things on Earth.
B. Characteristic of
Life
Characteristics
that
organisms possess to make
them living
1.Organization
The CELL is
technically the
SMALLEST unit
of life.
1.
a. But the cell is made up
of nonliving
molecules.
b. Smaller molecules
come together to
make larger
molecules
 C.
The larger molecules then
come together to make up the cell
 (Atoms,
compounds, molecules
all NONliving)

2. When cells of the
same type
performing the same
function come
together it is called
TISSUE.
3. When tissue of the same type
performing the same
function come together it is
called an
ORGAN.
Examples
b. Leaf and heart
a.
4. When many organs come
together to perform certain
functions is called an
ORGAN SYSTEM.
Examples
b. roots, stems, leaves and
cardiovascular system
(heart, veins, arteries and
a.
5. When many organ systems
come together to perform
many different functions they
become an
ORGANISM.
Examples
b. Tree and Zebra
a.
Opening Questions:
1. 1.
st
1
What is the
thing that
something needs to have to
be living?
2. 2. What are the levels of
organization of a
multicellular organism?
3. TURN IN ANSWER
Opening Questions:
1. 1.
2. 2.
ONE cell
Cell----Tissue----Organ---Organ System-----Organism
Main Learning Outcome
Describe
the levels of
organization of life.
(3.1.10 A1, 3.1.10 A2
and 3.1.10 A5)
2. Energy Use
 Living
things take in energy
through nutrients or sunlight
and use it to perform life’s
processes.
3. Growth and
Development
Growth
Increase in size
Adding cells
Development
Change in form
4. Reproduction

1.
Two things organisms can
reproduce
Making new life
2. Making new cells
Two
ways
ASEXUAL reproduction
Involves one organism usually
just splitting in two
(unicellular organisms only)
a.


b. SEXUAL reproduction
Involves the union of a
sperm and an egg cell
(multi-cellular organisms
usually)
5. Response and Adaptation
Adjustment to stimuli in the
environment
a.
1.
Examples of Responses
Unicellular organisms can
use their flagellum or cilia to
move away from light or
towards chemical energy
2. Plants leaves turn towards
the sun
3. Sharks can smell blood
miles away.
Adaptation—
Long
term change to
stimuli
Characteristics of Life
1.
Organization---one cell
2. Energy Use
3. Growth and Development
4. Reproduction
5. Response and Adaptation
OPENING QUESTION
What is the difference between a
population, community and
ecosystem?
C. Difference
between Living,
Nonliving and Dead
1. LIVING
Something
that possess
ALL of the Characteristics of
Life at the present time.
2. DEAD
Something
or a part of
something that had once
possessed all the
Characteristics but no longer
does
3. NONLIVING
Something
that does not
and never did possess all
the Characteristics
B. Extension of Biological
Organization
1.
When many of the same
ORGANISMS (species)
live together in the same
area they are called a
POPULATION.
a. Example
b. African Zebras on a
plain
2. When many of different
populations live together
in the same area they
are called a
COMMUNITY.
a. Example
b.
African Zebras, African
Lions and Gazelles on the
plain.
3. Organisms in the communities
always interact with the
physical environment as well
as each other.
This called an
ECOSYSTEM.
a. EXAMPLE
b.
African Zebras, African
Lions and Gazelles on the
plain along with the rain,
rocks, soil etc.
BIOSPHERE
Thin
layer of the Earth
where life can exist.