Living things grow

• Sometime in every organism's life
  • Even single-cell organisms
  • Involves conversion of materials from the environment into components of organism
  • May involve Mitosis

Living things reproduce

• all living things come from other living things
• living things make copies of themselves
• to do so they pass on genes (sections of DNA molecules that contain instructions for organization & metabolism)

Living things respond (irritability)

• organisms react in the presence of appropriate stimuli
  • physiologically
  • behaviorally

Living things metabolize

• metabolism is the sum of all of the chemical and energy transformations that take place in an organism
• such conversions are required if an organism is to maintain itself

Living things are organized

• all living & non-living things are composed of chemicals - but all living things are heterogeneous - not homogeneous
• All are composed of cells
  • Cells are the basic units of life
  • Cells are produced from other cells - cell theory
• Cells work together to form increasingly higher levels of complexity
  • Cells  tissues  organs  systems  individuals  populations  communities  ecosystems  biosphere

Living things maintain internal environment

• homeostasis - is the maintenance of internal conditions within certain boundaries

Living things evolve

• evolution - change in chracteristics of organisms over time
• results from mutation & natural selection
• these result in adaptations - characteristics that increase the likelihood that organisms survive and reproduce
• evolution from common ancestorunity of life
• evolution of various adaptationsdiversity of life

Assignments Week 1