5 Questions
What distinguishes matter with biological processes from matter that does not?
Capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction
What makes defining viruses as living organisms difficult?
They replicate only in host cells
According to Empedocles's materialism, what was life composed of?
Four eternal elements
What did Aristotle's hylomorphism assert about living things?
They have souls and embody both form and matter
Where has life been found to exist on Earth?
Air, water, and soil
Study Notes
Biological Matter
- Biological matter is distinguished from non-biological matter by the presence of biological processes such as metabolism, homeostasis, and the ability to respond to stimuli, grow, reproduce, and evolve.
- The difficulty in defining viruses as living organisms lies in their inability to carry out metabolic processes independently and their requirement of a host cell to replicate.
Ancient Concepts of Life
- According to Empedocles's materialism, life was composed of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
- Aristotle's hylomorphism asserted that living things consist of both matter (hyle) and form (morphe), with the form being the essential aspects of a living thing that distinguish it from non-living matter.
Extent of Life on Earth
- Life has been found to exist almost everywhere on Earth, including extreme environments such as hot springs, Antarctic ice sheets, and deep-sea vents.
Test your knowledge of the fundamental characteristics of life with this quiz. Explore concepts such as homeostasis, metabolism, growth, and response to stimuli, and challenge your understanding of living systems and their defining features.
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