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Questions and Answers
Which characteristic of life allows living organisms to respond to changes in their surroundings?
Which characteristic of life allows living organisms to respond to changes in their surroundings?
What is the most basic level of organization in living organisms?
What is the most basic level of organization in living organisms?
Which characteristic of life involves the ability of living organisms to maintain a stable internal environment?
Which characteristic of life involves the ability of living organisms to maintain a stable internal environment?
What is the term for the ability of living organisms to convert energy from one form to another?
What is the term for the ability of living organisms to convert energy from one form to another?
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What is the term for the ability of living organisms to produce offspring that are similar to themselves?
What is the term for the ability of living organisms to produce offspring that are similar to themselves?
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What is the smallest unit of life?
What is the smallest unit of life?
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What is the term for the study of classification based on structural similarities and common ancestry?
What is the term for the study of classification based on structural similarities and common ancestry?
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What is the level of organization that consists of a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function?
What is the level of organization that consists of a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function?
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What is the term for a group of similar cells that perform a specific function?
What is the term for a group of similar cells that perform a specific function?
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Which of the following is an example of an organ system?
Which of the following is an example of an organ system?
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What is the term for the highest level of organization in the hierarchy of life?
What is the term for the highest level of organization in the hierarchy of life?
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What is the primary mode of locomotion of the Family Hominidae?
What is the primary mode of locomotion of the Family Hominidae?
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What is the main purpose of the notochord in animals?
What is the main purpose of the notochord in animals?
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What is the term for the process by which animals obtain energy from ingested nutrients?
What is the term for the process by which animals obtain energy from ingested nutrients?
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What is the scientific method based on?
What is the scientific method based on?
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What type of feedback is characterized by childbirth contractions?
What type of feedback is characterized by childbirth contractions?
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What is the primary characteristic of the Genus Homo?
What is the primary characteristic of the Genus Homo?
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Study Notes
Characteristics of Life
- Responsiveness: ability to respond to external stimuli, e.g. turning off an alarm clock
- Metabolism/Energy: ingesting food and breaking it down for energy
- Reproduction: reproduction of cells and a new organism
- Materials found only in living organisms: proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids (DNA/RNA)
- Homeostasis: maintaining a stable internal environment, e.g. body temperature
- High degree of organization: microscopic units, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and individual organisms
Levels of Organization
- Chemical Level: atoms, molecules, and compounds found inside the cell
- Cellular Level: smallest unit of life, a component bounded by a membrane or cell wall
- Specialized cells: muscle cell, nerve cell, epithelial cell, cartilage cell
- Tissue Level: assemblage of similar cells
- Types of tissues: epithelial tissue, connective tissue, muscular tissue, nervous tissue
- Organ Level: assemblage of tissues with several functions
- Examples: heart (cardiovascular system), liver (digestive system), kidney (urinary system), lungs (cardiovascular system)
- Organ System Level: group of organs that carries out a more generalized set of functions
- Examples: cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, lymphatic system, nervous system, reproductive system, endocrine system
- Organism Level: individual organisms, e.g. Homo sapiens
Taxonomy
- Definition: branch of science that deals with the study of classification based on structural similarities and common ancestry
- 3 domains and 6 kingdoms: most accepted classification system
- Kingdom: based on similar characteristics, e.g. Animalia (multicellular organisms that ingest nutrients rather than synthesize them)
- Phylum: e.g. all animals with a vertebral column or dorsal hollow notochord
- Class: e.g. Mammalia (vertebrates with placental development, mammary glands, hair or fur, and a tail located behind the anus)
- Order: e.g. Primates (mammals adapted to life in trees, with opposable thumbs)
- Family: e.g. Hominidae (primates that move primarily with bipedal locomotion)
- Genus: e.g. Homo (hominids with large brain cases or skulls)
- Species: e.g. Homo sapiens (only living organism in our species, with a unique set of combined characteristics)
Scientific Method
- Rooted in logic: if a hypothesis is wrong in even one situation, it is rejected
- Analyzing data and drawing conclusions may lead to rejecting or modifying a hypothesis
Negative and Positive Feedback
- Negative feedback: e.g. sweating (water regulation), sugar regulation
- Positive feedback: e.g. childbirth contractions (muscle contractions, uterine contractions)
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Description
This quiz covers the fundamental characteristics of living organisms, including responsiveness, metabolism, adaptation, and reproduction. Test your understanding of the essential features that define life. From sensing the environment to reproducing cells, get ready to explore the basics of biology!
