Characteristics Classification And Features Of Organisms

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Notes

Characteristics of Living Organisms

**Movement**: actions causing a change in position or location of an organism.
**Respiration**: chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy.
**Sensitivity**: ability to sense stimuli (internal or external) and make appropriate responses.
**Growth**: permanent increase in size and dry mass, due to increase in cell number, cell size, or both.
**Reproduction**: increase in number of the same kind of organism.
**Excretion**: removal of toxic substances, waste products of metabolism, and excess substances.
**Nutrition**: intake of materials for energy, growth, and development (e.g., plants need light, CO₂, water, mineral ions; animals need organic compounds, ions, water).
Mnemonic: **MRS GREN** (Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition).

Practice questions

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1.Which of the following is a characteristic of all living organisms?
Easy
- AMovement
- BPhotosynthesis
- CExcretion
- DGrowth
2.Respiration is the process by which organisms take in materials for energy release.
Easy
True or false?
3.State the term used to describe the removal of toxic substances and waste products from an organism.
Medium
4.Complete the sentence using the correct term.
Easy
The mnemonic used to remember the characteristics of living organisms $is ____$ .
5.Match each characteristic with its correct description.
Medium
- Movement
- Sensitivity
- Reproduction
- Ability to sense stimuli
- Increase in number of same kind
- Change in position or location
6.Arrange the following events in the correct order for a plant responding to light: 1. growth towards light, 2. light detected by photoreceptors, 3. response in cells.
Hard
- light detected by photoreceptors
- response in cells
- growth towards light
7.A student measures the dry mass of a germinating seed as 0.5 g on day 1 and 0.8 g on day 5. What is the increase in dry mass in grams?
Medium
- A2.3
- B0.3
- C-0.7
- D1.3
8.Which characteristic is demonstrated when a plant grows towards sunlight?
Medium
- AMovement
- BSensitivity
- CNutrition
- DExcretion

Slides

Characteristics of Living Organisms

Living organisms share seven key characteristics, often remembered as MRS GREN.
Movement: causing a change in position or location.
Respiration: chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy.
Sensitivity: the ability to sense stimuli and respond.
Growth: a permanent increase in size and dry mass (by cell number or size).
Reproduction: increasing the number of the same kind of organism.
Excretion: removal of toxic waste products and excess substances.
Nutrition: taking in materials for energy, growth and development.

Which characteristic involves breaking down nutrient molecules to release energy?

Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Excretion

Movement and Sensitivity

Movement can be of the whole organism or parts of it (e.g., a plant growing towards light).
Sensitivity allows organisms to detect changes (stimuli) in their environment and respond appropriately.
Responses help organisms survive, e.g., avoiding predators or finding food.

Which of these are true about growth?

Growth is a permanent increase in size and dry mass.
Growth can only result from an increase in cell number.
Growth can result from an increase in cell size or cell number.
Growth is reversible if an organism loses weight.

Nutrition and Excretion

Nutrition: plants need light, CO₂, water and mineral ions; animals need organic compounds, ions and water.
Excretion removes metabolic waste products (e.g., urea, CO₂) and excess substances.
Excretion is different from egestion (removal of undigested food).

The removal of toxic waste products and substances in excess is called ____.

Reproduction and Respiration

Reproduction increases the number of organisms of the same species.
Respiration occurs in all living cells; it releases energy from glucose (or other nutrients).
The energy is used for metabolic reactions, movement, active transport, etc.

Which of the following is NOT one of the seven characteristics of living organisms?

Movement
Respiration
Digestion
Excretion

MRS GREN Mnemonic

M - Movement
R - Respiration
S - Sensitivity
G - Growth
R - Reproduction
E - Excretion
N - Nutrition

Which statements about the characteristics are correct?

All living organisms carry out respiration.
Only animals show sensitivity.
Plants require light, carbon dioxide, water and mineral ions for nutrition.
Growth is a reversible process.

Summary of Characteristics

Living things share all seven characteristics; non-living things may show some but not all.
Each characteristic is essential for life and survival.
Use MRS GREN to recall them in exams.

The mnemonic to remember the seven characteristics of living organisms $is ____$ .

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