Section 1:
Core
List and describe the characteristics of living organisms
Define the terms:
• Nutrition
• Excretion
• Respiration
• Sensitivity
• Growth
• Movement
Nutrition is the taking in of nutrients (Proteins, minerals etc.) and digesting/assimilating of them for use in cells.
Excretion could be defined as the removal of waste products (that have undergone digestion) from the body. Something which has not been digested and is removed from the body is Egested.
Respiration could be defined as the chemical breakdown of nutrient molecules to create energy for muscles and other such life processes to work/happen in the body.
Sensitivity would generally be defined as an organisms responses to stimulus from changes in the external or internal environment.
Growth is a permanent increase in the size of an organism by an increase in cell number, cell size or both.
Movement is the ability of an organism to change it's positioning or place.
These may seem daunting at first to remember so an easy pneumonic to aid your memory is MRS. GREN.
Questions may ask you whether or not an organism is considered to be living if it does not for example respire, or grow and the short answer is no - however the situation can get more complex when we look at viruses later in the Section.
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