Biology Chapter 1: Properties of Life

Seven essential properties characterize all living things: Order, Regulation, Growth and Development, Energy Processing, Response to the Environment, Reproduction, and Evolution.
Order indicates the complex, organized structures seen in living organisms, such as a pinecone's symmetry.
Regulation allows organisms to maintain stable internal conditions despite external environmental changes, like body temperature.
Growth and Development follow genetic instructions carried by DNA, guiding organisms throughout their life stages.
Organisms process energy by taking in nutrients to fuel activities and releasing some as heat.
Response to the environment involves interactions with stimuli, showcasing adaptability.
Reproduction ensures the continuation of species, wherein individuals reproduce their own kind, emphasizing species-specific lineage.
Evolution occurs through reproductive changes in populations over time, contributing to adaptation, as seen in certain species like the leaf insect.

A species consists of organisms that coexist, interbreed naturally, and produce viable offspring.
Taxonomy is the biological discipline focused on naming, classifying, and organizing species into broader hierarchical categories.

Life is categorized into three primary domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
Prokaryotic cells, found in Bacteria and Archaea, are small, simple, and lack a nucleus or membrane-bound compartments.
Eukaryotic cells, present in the domain Eukarya, are larger, complex and contain a nucleus and various compartments for cellular functions.

The domain Eukarya is divided into three kingdoms: Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia.
Protists represent a diverse group of single-celled eukaryotes, including organisms like amoebas, that do not fit into the three main kingdoms.

A theory provides a broad explanation within science, capable of generating new, testable hypotheses based on existing evidence.
Eukaryotes that do not align with established kingdoms are categorized under the group called protists.