Characteristics of Life Quiz

Movement, response to environment, growth & development, metabolism, adaptation & evolution, reproduction

Sunflowers following the sun

Maintaining a stable internal environment by responding to external changes.

Contains hereditary material and genetic information.

Asexual reproduction results in an exact copy, while sexual reproduction involves the crossing of genes.

Cellular organization refers to the structure of organisms at a cellular level. It can be unicellular (e.g., bacteria) or multicellular (e.g., plants).

Binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species whereby each species is assigned a genus name followed by a specific name. The genus name begins with a capital letter and both parts of the name are italicized or underlined.

Dichotomous keys are a structure where a large set of items are broken down into smaller subsets, ultimately leading to the smallest available classification unit. They are used for identifying organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters.

Phylogeny is the study of evolutionary relations between and among species. It is visually represented by a phylogenetic tree, which is a branching diagram used to show evolutionary relationships between different species or groups.

A clade is a taxonomic group that includes a single common ancestor and all its descendants. In taxonomy, clades are used to show evolutionary relatedness among species and are depicted in phylogenetic trees.

Prokaryotes play essential roles in ecosystems by fixing nitrogen, producing oxygen, and forming mutualistic relationships. They are crucial for nutrient cycles and have commercial uses in industries like food production.

A plasmid is a small loop of DNA often found in prokaryotic cells. It contains a few genes that can provide advantages for the cell, such as antibiotic resistance or the ability to produce certain proteins.