UNIT 1: CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING ORGANISMS
Movement Action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of
position or place
Respiratio Chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and
n release energy for metabolism
Sensitivit Ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external
y environment and to make appropriate responses
Growth Permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell
number or cell size or both
Reproduct Processes that make more of the same kind of organism
ion
Excretion Removal from organisms of the waste products of metabolism
(chemical reactions in cells including respiration), toxic materials,
and substances in excess of requirements
Nutrition Taking in of materials for energy, growth and development; plants
require light, carbon dioxide, water and ions; animals need organic
compounds and ions and usually need water
Species A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
Binomial Internationally agreed system in which the scientific name of an
system organism is made up of two parts showing the Genus species
Organism can be classified into groups by the features that they share
Classification systems aim to reflect evolutionary relationships
Classification is traditionally based on morphology (overall form and shape of
the body) and anatomy (detailed body structure)
Sequences of bases in DNA and of amino acids are used as a more accurate
means of classification
Organisms which share a more recent ancestor (are more closely related) have
base sequences in DNA that are more similar than those that share only a
distant ancestor
Domain -> Kingdom -> Phylum -> Class -> Order -> Family -> Genus ->
Species
Features in the cells of all living organism: cytoplasm, cell membrane, DNA –
genetic material, ribosomes for protein synthesis, enzyme involved in anaerobic
respiration
Animals Fungi
Multicellular Cell walls not made of cellulose, no
No cell wall or chloroplast chlorophyll
Feed on organic substances Feed by saprophytic, parasitic
Plants nutrition
Multicellular Protoctista
Cell walls made of cellulose, Multicellular/ unicellular
chloroplasts May have cell wall or chloroplasts
Feed by photosynthesis Feed by photosynthesis, organic
substances
Prokaryotes
Movement Action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of
position or place
Respiratio Chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and
n release energy for metabolism
Sensitivit Ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external
y environment and to make appropriate responses
Growth Permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell
number or cell size or both
Reproduct Processes that make more of the same kind of organism
ion
Excretion Removal from organisms of the waste products of metabolism
(chemical reactions in cells including respiration), toxic materials,
and substances in excess of requirements
Nutrition Taking in of materials for energy, growth and development; plants
require light, carbon dioxide, water and ions; animals need organic
compounds and ions and usually need water
Species A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
Binomial Internationally agreed system in which the scientific name of an
system organism is made up of two parts showing the Genus species
Organism can be classified into groups by the features that they share
Classification systems aim to reflect evolutionary relationships
Classification is traditionally based on morphology (overall form and shape of
the body) and anatomy (detailed body structure)
Sequences of bases in DNA and of amino acids are used as a more accurate
means of classification
Organisms which share a more recent ancestor (are more closely related) have
base sequences in DNA that are more similar than those that share only a
distant ancestor
Domain -> Kingdom -> Phylum -> Class -> Order -> Family -> Genus ->
Species
Features in the cells of all living organism: cytoplasm, cell membrane, DNA –
genetic material, ribosomes for protein synthesis, enzyme involved in anaerobic
respiration
Animals Fungi
Multicellular Cell walls not made of cellulose, no
No cell wall or chloroplast chlorophyll
Feed on organic substances Feed by saprophytic, parasitic
Plants nutrition
Multicellular Protoctista
Cell walls made of cellulose, Multicellular/ unicellular
chloroplasts May have cell wall or chloroplasts
Feed by photosynthesis Feed by photosynthesis, organic
substances
Prokaryotes
