Properties of Life – Key Vocabulary

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These vocabulary flashcards cover the seven classic properties of life, related biological structures, and key terms from the lecture debate on what constitutes a living organism.

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25 Terms

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Organization

A property of life in which living things possess highly coordinated, specialized parts and are composed of one or more cells.

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Cell

The fundamental, membrane-bound unit of life that makes up all living organisms.

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Tissue

A group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function in multicellular organisms.

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Organ

A body structure made of multiple tissues that carries out a distinct function, such as the heart or lungs.

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Organ System

A collection of organs that cooperate to perform major bodily functions (e.g., the circulatory system).

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Unicellular Organism

A complete living organism made up of a single cell, often remarkably complex.

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Multicellular Organism

An organism composed of many specialized cells organized into tissues, organs, and systems.

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Metabolism

The sum total of all biochemical reactions occurring within an organism that enable it to obtain energy, grow, and maintain itself.

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Anabolism

The metabolic pathway that builds complex molecules from simpler ones, typically consuming energy.

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Catabolism

The metabolic pathway that breaks complex molecules into simpler ones, often releasing stored energy.

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Anabolic Pathway

A series of biochemical reactions that assemble larger molecules (e.g., proteins, DNA) and support growth.

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Catabolic Pathway

A series of biochemical reactions that degrade molecules, making energy available for cellular work.

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Homeostasis

The regulation of an organism’s internal environment to maintain stable, life-supporting conditions (e.g., human body temperature ~37 °C).

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Growth

A life process in which cells increase in size and number, dependent on anabolic pathways that build biomolecules.

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Reproduction

The biological process by which living organisms generate new individuals, either asexually or sexually.

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Asexual Reproduction

Reproduction involving one parent that produces genetically identical offspring (e.g., bacterial fission).

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Sexual Reproduction

Reproduction requiring two parents who produce sperm and egg cells that fuse to form genetically unique offspring.

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Fertilization

The fusion of a sperm cell and an egg cell, restoring a full genetic set in a new individual.

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Response (Irritability)

A property of life describing an organism’s ability to detect and react to stimuli in its environment.

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Evolution

The change in the genetic makeup of a population over time, often leading to new adaptations.

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Natural Selection

A mechanism of evolution in which heritable traits that improve survival or reproduction become more common in a population.

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Adaptation

A heritable trait that increases an organism’s fitness and becomes prevalent through natural selection.

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Prion

A self-replicating protein that has some, but not all, properties of life (e.g., the agent causing mad cow disease).

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Virus

A protein–nucleic-acid entity that replicates only inside host cells; lacks cells and independent metabolism, so generally not classified as living.

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NASA’s Definition of Life

“A self-sustaining system capable of Darwinian evolution,” a broader criterion used to guide the search for extraterrestrial life.