Key terms organism characteristics of life cell organelles cell membrane cytoplasm nucleus
chloroplast vacuole light microscope electron microscope tissue organ system
In this chapter, you will learn to: / identify the seven characteristics of life / compare the structures of plant and animal cells
/ use a light microscope to look at cells / describe the organisation of life.
Characteristics of life
In science, a living thing is called an organism. There are seven common features that tell us if something is living. These are known as the characteristics of life. Characteristic
Description
Movement Respiration Response Growth
Reproduction Excretion Nutrition
Changing position to find food, escape danger or absorb sunlight Releasing energy from food in the organism’s cells Reacting to changes in the environment
Increasing in size when new cells are made or when cells become larger Producing new organisms
Removing waste made in cells from the organism Needing and getting food
Movement
Respiration
Response :Fig. 3.1 The seven characteristics of life ? TEST TUBE
1. Explain why a dog is a living thing. 2. Explain why a fire is not a living thing.
3. Walk around the school grounds and collect three objects that you believe to be living and another three objects that you believe to be non-living. Take photographs if you can’t bring the object back to the lab. Group the objects as ‘living’ or ‘non-living’ based on the seven characteristics of life.