Life Processes of Living Organisms

Life Processes of Living Things

• Life processes are essential activities that keep living organisms alive.
• Energy is required for survival and is obtained from food through the process of nutrition.
• Growth is a vital life process; living things increase in height, size, and mass as they develop.

Movement

• Movement is crucial for living organisms; all can move independently.
• Animals move to search for food, find shelter, escape dangers, and avoid predators.
• Plants utilize movement by growing towards sunlight and can adjust their growth direction in response to environmental changes.

Waste Removal and Excretion

• Living things produce waste materials; excretion involves removing these wastes.
• Breathing processes involve inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide and water, which are waste products.
• Other waste materials are eliminated through urination and sweating.

Reproduction

• Reproduction is essential for species survival; without it, species may face extinction.
• Flowering plants reproduce via seeds located within their fruits, while ferns use spores.
• Some plants like potatoes can reproduce through their stems.

Life and Death

• Non-living things do not exhibit life processes; dead organisms cease all life functions.
• Materials such as plastic, stones, and glass have never possessed life.
• Once living organisms die, they leave behind remains that may decompose or become fossilized.

Fossils

• Fossils are remnants of once-living things; preserved remains are known as body fossils, including bones, teeth, and plant parts.
• Fossil discovery, such as that by Dr. Gideon Mantell and his wife, can reveal new insights about extinct species, like the Iguanodon.
• Paleontologists study fossils to gather information about the Earth's biological history.

Trace Fossils

• Trace fossils are imprints left by living organisms; these include fossilized footprints, eggs, and feces that are preserved in rocks.