Characteristics
of Living Things
Unit 2
It’s Alive! Or Is It?
What is Life?
Section 2.1
• There are 7 characteristics that all living things
must have in order to be considered alive.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
1. Response to Stimuli
• All living things can respond/react to stimuli
whether it is internal or external.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
2. Adaptability
• In order to survive all living things must be
able to adapt to their environment and evolve
over time.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
3. Reproduction
• All living things can reproduce.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
4. Energy Use
• All living things must be able to use energy to
perform the tasks necessary for survival.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
5. Homeostasis
• All living things can maintain a balanced
internal environment.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
6. Organization
• All living things have cellular organization.
• They are made up of one or more cells.
The 7 Characteristics of Life
7. Growth and Development
• All living things grow (get bigger) and develop
(become more complex).
R.A.R.E. H.O.G
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
R esponse to stimuli
A dapatability
R eproduction
E nergy Use
H omeostasis
O rganized by cells
G rowth and development
Life Comes From Life
Redi’s Experiment
Life Comes From Life
Pasteur’s Experiment
What Living Things Need to
Survive
1. Food: Organisms need food as a source of
energy.
– Organisms that can make their own food are
called autotrophs.
– Organisms that need to eat other organisms as
food are called heterotrophs.
What Living Things Need to
Survive
2. Water: Living things can only survive a few
days without water.
What Living Things Need to
Survive
3. Space: All living things need a space where
they can find food, water and shelter.