Characteristics of Living Things

the eight characteristics of living things

there are eight characteristics of living things, all of which must be present for something to be classified as a living being

  1. reproduction

   
   1. as a species, not necessarily every individual—some exceptions
   2. two types of reproduction

      
      1. asexual reproduction (creates identical organisms)
      2. sexual reproduction (passes on traits to offspring, but does not create identical offspring)

  1. metabolism

   
   1. the ability to utilize energy
   2. metabolism encapsulates all chemical reactions that take place in the body
   3. high metabolism means that the body makes and uses energy efficiently

  1. heredity

   
   1. passing traits to offspring through DNA

  1. response to environment

   
   1. must be able to respond to its environment to improve its chances of comfort/survival

      
      1. eg. cold environment may lead to the organism forming goosebumps, shivering, going into hibernation, or practicing migration

  1. cellular organization

   
   1. all living things are made of cells
   2. cells serve as the basic units of function and structure for all living things—must be present in a living organism

  1. growth and development

   
   1. organisms must be able to develop from their original forms

      
      1. eg. tadpoles becoming frogs, humans growing with age

  1. homeostasis

   
   1. living things must maintain homeostasis
   2. homeostasis is a range or balance of figures as the body tries to maintain its status quo for survival/comfort

      
      1. eg. scab creation/formation, natural regulation of blood sugar levels, body temperature

  1. life span

   
   1. all living things must eventually die, but most have different life spans
   2. the average life span of a species may also change over time due to environmental causes or evolutionary traits