Characteristics of Living Things

First Characteristic

Made of cells

Cells

Basic unit of structure and function → smallest unit considered live. Things can be unicellular or multicellular

Prokaryote

Doesn’t have a membrane bound nucleus (No nucleus encasing DNA)

Eukaryote

Has a nucleus

Characteristic 2

Obtain materials and use energy

Autotroph

Capable of synthesizing their own food source

Heterotroph

Gets food from an outside source

Characteristic 3

Response to the Environment

Characteristic 4

Maintain a stable internal environment

Homeostasis

Stable internal environment even when conditions are constantly changing

Hypothalamus

Central center in brain for body temp

Characteristic 5

Grows and develops

Growth

The physical increase in size, weight, and mass

Development

The quantitative change in the stricture, function, and maturity over time

Characteristic 6

Universal genetic code

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Characteristic 7

Reproduction

Types of reproduction

Sexual(has 2 parents) vs. Asexual (has one parent)

Characteristic 8

Can evolve