Properties of Life

What is the basic structural and functional unit of life?

The cell.

What is the sum of all chemical processes in the body called?

Metabolism

What term describes an organism’s ability to maintain internal stability?

Homeostasis.

What is the biological term for organisms producing their own kind?

Reproduction.

Which molecule carries inherited information that controls growth and development?.

DNA

How does the structure of multicellular organisms progress from cells to full systems?

Cells → Tissues → Organs → Organ Systems.

Why can’t any two organisms reproduce at random?

Cellular and genetic mechanisms ensure species-specific reproduction.

What is phototaxis, and which organisms typically exhibit it?

Movement in response to light; often seen in bacteria or protists.

How does a plant demonstrate responsiveness to stimuli?

It grows toward a light source or climbs a structure.

A lizard basks on a warm rock in the sun. Which characteristic of life is this an example of?

Regulation/Homeostasis (maintaining body temperature).

If a population of moths shifts from light to dark coloring due to industrial pollution, which life characteristic does this represent?

Evolutionary Adaptation.

How does DNA influence both growth and reproduction?

DNA contains genes that guide both the development of the organism and the transfer of hereditary traits to offspring.

Why might an organism’s metabolic rate increase in cold environments?

To generate more energy/heat and maintain homeostasis.

Describe how a multicellular organism uses multiple systems to maintain homeostasis during exercise.

Increased heart rate delivers oxygen and nutrients; sweating cools the body; lungs remove CO₂.

What are the properties of life?

Order or Organization, Reproduction, Growth and Development, Response to Stimulus from the Environment or Irritability, Energy processing or Metabolism, Regulation or Hemeostasis, Evolutionary Adaptation