The 6 Characteristics of Living Things 6 Characteristics

The 6 Characteristics of Living Things

6 Characteristics of living things: § 1. Living things are made of cells. § Cells are living material and can only come from other living cells.

§ 2. All living things are composed of basically the same elements (chemicals): § Carbon - C § Hydrogen - H § Nitrogen - N § Oxygen – O 2

§ 3. All living things use energy, which ultimately comes from the sun.

§ 4. Living things respond to their environment/surroundings. § A stimulus is a change in ones environment or surroundings. That change can cause a response such as an action, movement, or change in behavior of the organism. § And they…

Living things respond to their environment …can move.

§ 5. Living things grow and develop. Living things grow in size, and become more complex.

§ 6. Living things reproduce. § Living things give rise to the same type of living thing either: § Sexually – requires two parents. § Asexually – reproduce from one parent (bacteria & some plants).

In addition to the previous 6 characteristics all living things share, they also can: § …perform complex chemical activities, such as: § Metabolism – chemical activities that break down substances (ie. food), releasing energy and other usable food substances. § Ingestion – eating. § Digestion – food broken down into more simple substances.

Living things can perform complex chemical activities, continued… § Respiration – living things combine oxygen with the products of digestion or photosynthesis to obtain energy. § Excretion – eliminating waste materials.