Characteristics of living organisms

The 7 life processes

(MRS GREN)
Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Growth
Reproduction
Excretion
Nutrition

An example of non-living organisms that don't carry out these functions

viruses

Nutrition in plants

Produce their own food using photosynthesis
Autotrophic

Nutrition in animals

Consume other living organisms
Heterotrophic

autotrophs

make their own food

examples of autotrophs

plants, algae, and some bacteria

heterotrophs

consume other organisms

examples of heterotrophs

animals, fungi, some bacteria

respiration

- chemical reaction
- energy released from glucose in the presence of O2 (aerobic respiration)
- energy transferred in the form of ATP

excretion

The removal of waste materials and substances from organisms

excretion in animals

- carbondioxide
- water
- urea

excretion in plants

- oxygen
- carbon dioxide
- water

egestion

waste products produced are in the form of faeces and originate from the remains of the substances not absorbed during digestion

excretion vs. egestion

the waste products removed through excretion have originated from chemical reactions in the cells. However, the waste products produced in egestion are in the form of faeces and originate from the remains of the substances not absorbed during digestion.

sensitivity

an organism's ability to detect and respond to stimuli in its surroundings

movement

an action by an organism causing a change of position or place

reproduction

the process that leads to the production of more of the same kind of organism

sexual reproduction

the male (ovule) and female (egg) gametes fuse together

asexual reproduction

Cells or whole organisms can also reproduce using asexual reproduction.
There is only one parent involved so an exact clone is produced

growth

a permanent increase in size