What do a bacterium and a whale have in common? Do they share characteristics with us? All living organisms, from the smallest bacterium to the largest whale, share certain characteristics of life. Without these characteristics, there is no life.
Characteristics of Life Look at the duck decoy on the left. It looks very similar to a real duck. Of course, real ducks are living things. What about the decoy duck? It looks like a duck, but it is actually made of wood. The decoy duck doesn’t have all the characteristics of a living thing. What characteristics set the real ducks apart from the decoy duck? What are the characteristics of living things?
To be classified as a living thing, an object must have all seven of the following characteristics:
It responds to the environment.
It grows and develops.
It produces offspring.
It maintains homeostasis.
It metabolizes.
It consists of cells.
It adapts to its environment.
Response to the Environment All living things detect changes in their environment and respond to them. What happens if you step on a rock? Nothing; the rock doesn’t respond because it isn’t alive. But what if you think you are stepping on a rock and actually step on a turtle shell? The turtle is likely to respond by moving—it may even snap at you!
Growth and Development All living things grow and develop. For example, a plant seed may look like a lifeless pebble, but under the right conditions it will grow and develop into a plant. Animals also grow and develop. Look at the animals in Figure below. How will the tadpoles change as they grow and develop into adult frogs?
Reproduction All living things are capable of reproduction. Reproduction is the process by which living things give rise to offspring. Reproducing may be as simple as a single cell dividing to form two daughter cells. Generally, however, it is much more complicated. Nonetheless, whether a living thing is a huge whale or a microscopic bacterium, it is capable of reproduction.
Homeostasis All living things are able to maintain a more-or-less constant internal environment. They keep things relatively stable on the inside regardless of the conditions around them. The process of maintaining a stable internal environment is called homeostasis. Human beings, for example, maintain a stable internal body temperature. If you go outside when the air temperature is below freezing. your body doesn’t freeze. Instead, by shivering and other means, it maintains a stable internal temperature.
Metabolism All living things—even the simplest life forms—have a complex chemistry. Living things consist of large, complex molecules, and they also undergo many complicated chemical changes to stay alive. Thousands (or more) of these chemical reactions occur in each cell at any given moment. Metabolism is the accumulated total of all the biochemical reactions occurring in a cell or organism. Complex chemistry is needed to carry out all the functions of life.
Cells All forms of life are built of at least one cell. A cell is the basic unit of the structure and function of living things. Living things may appear very different from one another on the outside, but their cells are very similar. Compare the human cells on the left in Figure below and onion cells on the right in Figure below. How are they similar?
Evolution/ Adapt to Environment Organisms must be able to change over time. Adaptation is the process that enables organisms to become better suited to their environment. Species obtain adaptations through evolution, which occurs over great periods of time.
Summary
All living things detect changes in their environment and respond to them.
All living things grow and develop.
All living things are capable of reproduction, the process by which living things give rise to offspring.
All living things are able to maintain a constant internal environment through homeostasis.
All living things have metabolism.
All forms of life are built of cells. A cell is the basic unit of the structure and function of living things
All living things must be able to evolve and adapt to their environment.
Review
List the seven characteristics of all living things.
Define homeostasis.
What is a cell?
Making the next generation is known as ____________.
Assume that you found an object that looks like a dead twig. You wonder if it might be a stick insect. How could you determine if it is a living thing