Biology Characteristics of Living Organisms

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Questions and Answers

Which characteristic of living organisms refers to an action causing a change in position?

Movement (correct)

Respiration

Nutrition

Sensitivity

Which process involves the breakdown of nutrient molecules to release energy?

Nutrition

Growth

Excretion

Respiration (correct)

What is the correct mnemonic to remember the characteristics of living organisms?

MRS.H.GREN (correct)

N.R.E.M.G.S

H.G.RE.M.N

R.N.G.H.M.S

Which characteristic involves sensing stimuli and making appropriate responses?

Sensitivity Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic does NOT relate to making more of the same kind of organism?

Respiration Signup and view all the answers

What is excretion primarily concerned with in living organisms?

Removing toxic materials and waste Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is a permanent increase in size and dry mass due to cell changes?

Growth Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for nutrition in plants?

Organic compounds Signup and view all the answers

What is a species defined as?

A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring Signup and view all the answers

Which feature is NOT common to all mammals?

Ability to fly Signup and view all the answers

Who developed the binomial system of classification?

Linnaeus Signup and view all the answers

What does the binomial name of an organism consist of?

Two parts, the genus and species names Signup and view all the answers

What signifies that a binomial name is in Latin when typed?

It is written in italics Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the correct order of classification?

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic becomes more pronounced as organisms are classified into smaller groups?

Their shared features Signup and view all the answers

In the binomial system, how should the genus name be formatted?

Starting with a capital letter Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of all vertebrates?

They possess a backbone. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of plant cells?

Cell walls made of chitin Signup and view all the answers

What classification group includes all invertebrates with jointed legs?

Arthropoda Signup and view all the answers

How are vertebrates classified?

By having a backbone. Signup and view all the answers

Which feature is primarily used to categorize invertebrates?

Presence of jointed legs Signup and view all the answers

What do all plants have in common regarding their nutrition?

They all feed by photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following groups of organisms do not have a backbone?

Insects Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT associated with plant cells?

Are unicellular Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding protoctists?

Protoctists can be unicellular or multicellular and may be photosynthetic. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes prokaryotes from eukaryotes?

Prokaryotes lack a nucleus and mitochondria, while eukaryotes have both. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reproductive method of ferns?

Ferns reproduce by spores located on the underside of fronds. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these groups is a classification of flowering plants?

Monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Signup and view all the answers

What pigment is responsible for the green color in plants?

Chlorophyll, which absorbs energy from sunlight for photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

Which structure in flowering plants contains the seeds?

The ovary located at the base of the flower. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about prokaryotic cells is accurate?

Prokaryotic cells have cell walls that are not made of cellulose. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes all protoctists?

Protoctists may photosynthesize or feed on organic substances. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of monocotyledons in relation to their flowers?

They have petals in multiples of 3. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding the leaves of dicotyledons?

They have reticulated leaf veins. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the veins of monocotyledons from those of dicotyledons?

Monocots have parallel leaf veins. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the leaves of monocotyledons?

They are narrow and grass-like. Signup and view all the answers

Why are viruses not classified as living things?

They cannot reproduce by themselves. Signup and view all the answers

What is the basic structure of a typical virus?

Protein coat surrounding RNA or DNA. Signup and view all the answers

What type of leaf shapes do dicotyledons generally exhibit?

They come in a wide range of shapes. Signup and view all the answers

How do viruses reproduce?

By taking over a host cell's metabolic pathways. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Characteristics of Living Organisms

Movement involves changing position or place, either by the organism or a part of it.
Respiration is a series of chemical reactions that break down nutrients for energy.
Sensitivity refers to detecting and responding to internal and external stimuli.
Growth signifies a permanent increase in size and mass due to cell increase.
Reproduction is the production of more organisms of the same kind.
Excretion involves removing toxins and waste products resulting from metabolism.
Nutrition is the intake of substances for energy, growth, and development; plants need light, carbon dioxide, water, and ions, while animals require organic compounds and water.
Use the mnemonic MRS.H.GREN to remember these life processes.

Concept & Uses of Classification Systems

Millions of species exist on Earth, classified by shared characteristics.
A species can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.
The binomial system, developed by Linnaeus, uses Latin names with two parts: genus (capitalized) and species (lowercase), e.g., Homo sapiens.
Classification hierarchy: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Classification of Organisms

Kingdoms encompass multicellular organisms with cell nuclei, while some unicellular organisms fall under the Protista and Prokaryotae kingdoms (bacteria).
Vertebrates possess backbones, categorized into five classes, whereas invertebrates lack backbones and can be identified by characteristics such as leg structure.

Plant Kingdom Features

All green plants contain chlorophyll, essential for photosynthesis.
Plant classifications include ferns and flowering plants. Ferns reproduce via spores, while flowering plants reproduce through seeds.
Flowering plants can be classified as monocotyledons (one seed leaf) or dicotyledons (two seed leaves).
Monocots have flower petals in multiples of 3 and parallel leaves; dicots have petals in multiples of 4 or 5 and reticulated leaves.

Viruses

Viruses aren't classified as living things; they rely on host cells to replicate by commandeering their metabolic pathways.
Structurally, viruses comprise genetic material (RNA or DNA) enclosed in a protein coat.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the essential characteristics that define living organisms, including movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, and nutrition. You'll also explore the concept and uses of classification systems in biology, including the binomial nomenclature system. Use the mnemonic MRS.H.GREN to remember these life processes!