Unit 2: Similarities
Among Living Things
Understanding life, life functions,
and cells.
Chapter 3: Characteristics of
Living Things
A. Living vs. Non-living
List Living and Non-living things
B. Characteristics of Life
1. Living things are __________________ and contain many
complex chemical substances.
2. Living things are made up of __________________, which
are the smallest units of life.
3. Living things ______________.
4. Living things have a ______________________________.
5. Living things have a _________________.
6. Living things _____________.
7. Living things ___________________________.
8. Living things are ____________________.
9. Living things ______________________,
over long periods of time.
8 & 9 are true for the
species not the individual
10. Are viruses alive?
- Viruses are like _____ – they have
an outer candy coating and a rich
chocolate center!?
- On a virus the outside is made of
_______ and the inside is _____ or
____
- On their own viruses do _______
- Viruses are _____________ – not
made of cells
- Viruses _____ their way into cells
and _____________ to make more
viruses
C. Life Processes
- Also called life activities
- These are the activities that all living things do to stay alive
1. ____________ = activity by which the organism ______ and
_____________ materials from the environment.
a. _________ = the substances
that the organism needs for
________, ________, ________,
____________, and the life
processes.
_____________
_____________
_____________
_______, ________, and _______
b. 3 Processes involved in Nutrition:
i. ______________ = taking in of food from the environment.
ii. ___________ = breakdown of complex food materials into
simpler forms that an organism can utilize.
Digestion = _____________
iii. ______________ = elimination of undigested materials
c. 2 Types of Nutrition:
i. ____________________
Autotrophic nutrition is the process by which organisms
make their own food from ___________ compounds
ex: Plants = ___________
use photosynthesis for autotrophic nutrition
____________ + _________  Sugar + Oxygen
convert simple inorganic compounds to complex organic compounds
ii. _____________________
Heterotrophic nutrition is the process by which organisms
____ other organisms or the by-products of organisms to
obtain their nutrients.
Heterotrophs use ____________________ compounds
ex: Humans, animals, fungus, and many bacteria are
heterotrophs
2. Transport
Transport is the life process by which substances are
_____________ and _____________ within the organism.
Materials can either enter the cells _____________ or
as in larger organisms materials are moved throughout the
body by a _________________.
3. Cellular Respiration
__________________________ is the life process of
releasing ____________ energy.
Food materials are broken down into energy, water, and
carbon dioxide.
Cellular Respiration is _________________
i. _________________________
requires ________ from the environment
carried by ______________ inside the cell
ii. _______________________
without the use of oxygen from the environment
does not use the mitochondria
iii. ________
ATP is the energy molecule made from cellular respiration
All cells use ATP as their _____________ form of energy
4. Excretion
Excretion is the life process of ________________________
from the body
Many different types of wastes:
urine, urea, ______, ______, heat
5. Regulation
Regulation is the life process used to ______________ and
______________ the organism
Regulation is carried out by the nervous system and/or
_______________
6. Synthesis and Assimilation
i. ______________ = combination of simple substances
into more complex substances.
________________
ii. ____________ = incorporation of material into the
organism's body
.
7. Growth
Growth is an _____________ in size or __________________
Growth results from ___________ and _______________
___________________________ = when cells transform to
have specific jobs
ex: in human growth, life starts as one cell but forms many
different body parts
In most animals growth is a finite process. It has an end, but
in some plants, growth has no definite end
8. Locomotion
____________ is the ability to _________ from place to place
________ – has to ability to move from place to place
___________ – stationary, nonmotile
Locomotion is an advantage to be able to find:
_______
_______
_______
______________
______________
8. Reproduction
Reproduction is the life process by which organisms ________
___________________________________________
i. ________________ reproduction
a single individual reproduces offspring genetically
____________ to the parent
ex: __________, fission, budding, vegetative propagation
ii. _____________ reproduction
there are two parents and the offspring are a _____________
of the parents genes
9. Metabolism
_____________ is the combination ____ the life processes
occurring within the cells of an organism
Metabolism is _____ the chemical reactions in an organism
Metabolism involves the ________ of substances, the ____
______ of substances, _____ of energy, and ___ of energy
10. Homeostasis
________________ is the condition of a constant internal
environment
Homeostasis is keeping the organism in ___________ even
though the environment is changing
Uses feedback mechanisms to help maintain a
______________________
EX: Regulation of ________ through an elephant's ears to help keep it _____.
EX: _________  a reaction to keep your body warm when you are cold.
EX: Increased __________ during exercise
EX: Immune system responding to _______________ in your body