Characteristics of Living Things 1 Living things are

Characteristics of Living Things

1. Living things are made up of units called?

CELLS

Cells can be unicellular • The prefix “uni” means one and unicellular organisms live as a single cell. • Examples: Bacteria and Yeast.

BACTERIA

YEAST

Cells can be multicellular

Cells can be colonial

• Colonial organisms live in groups of individual cells that are attached to each other, but have few specialized structures.

2. Living things reproduce

Can be Asexual Sex in science refers to the exchange of genetic information. Budding, as this yeast is demonstrating, requires no DNA exchange.

3. Living things are based on a universal genetic code called

DNA

4. All things grow and develop

5. Living things obtain and use materials and energy

Metabolism • An organisms total energy spent using chemical reactions to break down and build up materials to carry out life processes is called it’s metabolism.

6. Living things respond to their environment

7. Living things maintain a stable internal environment

Homeostasis • The process by which organisms keep their internal conditions relatively stable is called homeostasis.

8. Taken as a group, living things change over time.

Adaptation • A genetic trait that is inherited (you are born with) that makes you more successful or better able to survive.

Evolve • Although individual organisms experience many changes during their lives, the basic traits they inherited from their parents do not change. As a group, however, any given kind of organism can evolve, or change over time.