Characteristics of Living Organisms and Taxonomy (Notes from Pages 1-4)

A set of practice flashcards covering life characteristics, biotic/abiotic factors, viruses, the scientific method, and taxonomy as described in the provided lecture notes.

What are the six key characteristics that define living organisms?

Cellular composition (cells), metabolism, growth and development, reproduction, responsiveness to stimuli, and homeostasis.

What are the two forms of cellular organization that living organisms can have?

Unicellular (single-celled) and multicellular (many cells).

What does metabolism mean in the context of living organisms?

Chemical processes to obtain energy and maintain biological functions.

What term is used for organisms that obtain energy directly from the sun through photosynthesis?

Autotrophs.

What are some examples of autotrophs?

Plants and algae.

What is growth and development in living organisms?

Growth over time and changes in structure and function (e.g., a seed growing into a mature plant).

What is reproduction, and what are the two main modes described?

The ability to produce offspring; sexual reproduction requiring two parents and gametes (sperm and egg) and asexual reproduction requiring one parent.

What is heredity?

The passing of genetic material from parents to offspring.

What does 'response to environment' mean, and can you give an example?

Organisms respond to stimuli; examples include plants growing toward light and animals reacting to danger.

What is homeostasis?

The regulation of the internal environment to sustain life (e.g., stable body temperature or pH).

What are abiotic factors and why are they important?

Nonliving components like rocks, water, and air that influence ecosystems by affecting climate, soil quality, and resource availability.

What is the debate about viruses in terms of being living or nonliving?

Viruses contain genetic material and can reproduce only inside host cells; outside a host they cannot carry out metabolism or reproduce, which makes their status as living or nonliving debated.

What is taxonomy and why is classification helpful?

Taxonomy is the science of classifying organisms; classification helps organize information and make comparisons easier.

Who started modern taxonomy and what system did he develop?

Carl Linnaeus; developed a hierarchical classification and binomial nomenclature.

What is binomial nomenclature?

A two-part Latin name for a species consisting of genus and species (e.g., Homo sapiens; Loxodonta africana for the African elephant).

What are the major taxonomic levels in order from broadest to most specific?

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

What are the steps of the scientific method as depicted in the notes?

Observe & Wonder; Question; Research; Hypothesize; Design & Plan; Experiment; Analyze; Conclude & Wonder.

What nitrate concentration was found optimal for carrot growth in the example?

About 10 parts per million (10 ppm); too much or too little nitrate slows growth.