Life Processes and Molecular Movement

Vocabulary flashcards covering the criteria for life, the limitations of visible movement, and the necessity of molecular maintenance in living organisms.

Visible movement

Common evidence for being alive, such as growth or breathing, which is not considered a sufficient defining characteristic of life because it may be absent in some living plants and animals.

Molecular movement

Movements over very small scales that are invisible to the naked eye but are considered necessary for life by professional biologists.

Viruses

Entities that do not show any molecular movement until they infect a cell, leading to controversy about whether they are truly alive or not.

Organized structures

The ordered nature of living organisms which can contain tissues, cells, and smaller components that must be maintained to prevent breakdown.

Maintenance and repair

Processes living creatures must perform to keep their structures organized, requiring the continuous movement of molecules to counteract environmental decay.