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Questions and Answers
How can we tell the difference between what is alive and what is not?
By observing characteristics such as breathing, movement, and growth.
What is the defining characteristic of life that is commonly thought of?
Movement, either growth-related or other forms.
Molecular movement is necessary for life.
True
What are life processes?
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What is the primary source of energy for living organisms?
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Which of the following processes is necessary for the breakdown of food sources for cellular needs?
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What is respiration?
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What do organisms require to maintain their structures?
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Study Notes
Characteristics of Living Organisms
- Visible signs of life include movement, growth, and respiration.
- A living being may still be alive if not visibly moving or growing, as with sleeping animals or dormant plants.
- Molecular movement is fundamental for life, even if it isn't visible to the naked eye.
- Viruses are subjects of debate regarding their status as living organisms due to lack of visible molecular movement until they infect a host.
Life Processes
- Life processes are essential maintenance functions that continue even when an organism is inactive, like sitting or sleeping.
- These processes prevent structural damage and breakdown in living organisms, requiring a continuous supply of energy.
- Nutrition is the process through which energy from external sources, typically food, is transferred into the body.
Nutrition and Energy Sources
- Organisms derive energy from carbon-based food sources, which vary in complexity.
- Food needs breakdown to release energy in a form usable by the organism, necessitating a series of chemical reactions.
- Oxidation-reduction reactions, often involving oxygen, are pivotal for breaking down food molecules for energy.
Respiration
- Respiration is the process of acquiring oxygen for cellular needs and using it to break down food.
- Single-celled organisms can perform respiration and nutrient uptake directly through their surfaces due to their small size.
- In multi-cellular organisms, internal structures evolve to facilitate food intake, gas exchange, and waste removal, necessary due to increased body size and complexity.
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Description
Explore the essential characteristics and life processes that define living organisms. This quiz covers topics like movement, nutrition, and energy sources which are vital for survival. Challenge your understanding of how life is maintained even in dormant states and the ongoing debate surrounding viruses.
