Modern science divides all nature into living and non-living. At first glance, this division may seem simple, but sometimes it is quite difficult to decide whether a certain object of nature is really alive or not. Everyone knows that the main properties, signs of living things are growth and reproduction. Most scientists use seven life processes or signs of living organisms that distinguish them from inanimate nature.
What is characteristic of all living beings
All living beings:
- Consist of cells.
- Have different levels of cellular organization. Tissue is a group of cells that perform a common function. An organ is a group of tissues that perform a common function. An organ system is a group of organs that perform a common function. Organism - any living being in the complex.
- Use the energy of the Earth and the Sun, which they need to liveand growth.
- React to the environment. Behavior is a complex set of reactions.
- Grow. Cell division is the orderly formation of new cells that grow to a certain size and then divide.
- Breeding. Reproduction is not essential for the survival of individual organisms, but it is essential for the survival of the entire species. All living things reproduce in one of the following ways: asexual (production of offspring without the use of gametes), sexual (production of offspring by combining sex cells).
- Adapt and adapt to environmental conditions.
The main features of living organisms
Movement. All living things can move and change their position. This is more evident in animals, which can walk and run, and less so in plants, parts of which can move to follow the movement of the sun. Sometimes the movement can be so slow that it is very difficult to see it
- Respiration is a chemical reaction that takes place inside the cell. It is the process of releasing energy from food substances in all living cells.
- Sensitivity - the ability to detect changes in the environment. All living things are capable of responding to stimuli such as light, temperature, water, gravity, and so on.
- Height. All living beings grow. permanentan increase in the number of cells and body size is called growth.
- Reproduction - the ability to reproduce and transmit genetic information to their offspring.
- Excretion - getting rid of waste and toxins. As a result of many chemical reactions occurring in cells, it is necessary to get rid of metabolic products that can poison the cells.
- Nutrition - the intake and use of nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) necessary for growth, tissue repair and energy. This happens differently for different types of living beings.
All living beings are made up of cells
What are the main features of a living organism? The first thing that makes living organisms unique is that they are all made up of cells, which are considered the building blocks of life. Cells are amazing, despite their small size, they can work together to form large body structures such as tissues and organs. Cells are also specialized - for example, liver cells are located in the organ of the same name, while brain cells function only in the head.
Some organisms are made up of just one cell, like many bacteria, while others are made up of trillions of cells, like humans. Multicellular organisms are very complex creatures with incredible cellular organization. This organization starts with DNA andextends to the entire body.
Reproduction
The main signs of a living thing (biology describes this even in a school course) also include such a thing as reproduction. How do all living organisms get to Earth? They do not appear out of thin air, but through reproduction. There are two main ways to produce offspring. The first is the well-known sexual reproduction. This is when organisms produce offspring by combining their gametes. Humans and many animals fall into this category.
Another type of reproduction is asexual: organisms produce offspring without a gamete. Unlike sexual reproduction, where offspring have a different genetic makeup than either parent, asexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical to their parent.
Growth and development
The main features of the living also suggest growth and development. When offspring are born, they don't stay that way forever. The man himself is a great example. In the process of growth, people change, and the more time passes, the more these differences are noticeable. If we compare an adult and a baby, which he once came into this world, then the differences are simply colossal. Organisms grow and develop throughout life, but these two terms (growth and development) do not mean the same thing.
Growth is when size changes, from small tobig. For example, with age, all organs of a living organism grow: fingers, eyes, heart, and so on. Development implies the possibility of change or transformation. This process begins before birth, when the first cell appears.
Energy
Growth, development, cellular processes and even reproduction can only occur if living organisms receive and can use energy, which is also included in the main features of a living being. All life energies ultimately come from the sun, and this force gives energy to everything on Earth. Many living organisms, such as plants and some algae, use the sun to produce their own food.
The process of converting sunlight into chemical energy is called photosynthesis, and the organisms that can produce it are called autotrophs. However, many organisms cannot make their own food and therefore must feed on other living organisms for energy and nutrients. Organisms that feed on other organisms are called heterotrophs.
Feedback
Listing the main features of wildlife, it is important to note the fact that all living organisms have the ability to respond in a certain way to various environmental stimuli. This means that any changes in the environment trigger certain reactions in the body. For example, a carnivorous plant like the Venus flytrap will close its bloodthirsty petals fairly quickly if an unsuspecting fly lands there. If possible, the turtle will come out to bask in the sun rather than stay in the shade. When a person hears a rumbling in his stomach, he will go to the refrigerator to make a sandwich, and so on.
Irritants can be external (outside the human body) or internal (inside the body), and they help living organisms maintain balance. They are represented as various sense organs in the body, such as: sight, taste, smell and touch. The speed of response may vary depending on the organism.
Homeostasis
The main features of living organisms include the regulation of the body's internal environment, which is called homeostasis. For example, temperature regulation is very important for all living beings, because body temperature affects such an important process as metabolism. When the body becomes too cold, these processes slow down and the body may die. The opposite happens if the body overheats, the processes are accelerated, and all this leads to the same disastrous consequences.
What do living beings have in common? They must have all the basic features of a living organism. For example, a cloud can grow in size and move from one place to another, but it is not a living organism, since it does not have allabove specifications.
