Grade 9 Biology Worksheet - Characteristics and Organization of Life PDF

Grade 9 Biology Class How is Life organized? PART 1: Characteristics of life *Biology is a study of life 1. State the characteristics that define whether something is alive or not. - Movement - Respiration - Sensitivity - Reproduction...

Grade 9 Biology Class How is Life organized? PART 1: Characteristics of life *Biology is a study of life 1. State the characteristics that define whether something is alive or not. - Movement - Respiration - Sensitivity - Reproduction - Homeostasis - Excretion - Nutrition - Growth 2. Define each of the characteristics stated above. - Movement: The process or the state of changing place or position of the body or a body part from one position to another - Respiration: Breakdown of organic molecules in the body to provide energy - Sensitivity: The ability of an organism to detect and respond to stimuli (changes in the environment) - Reproduction: Reproduction is the production of offspring of the same kind. - Homeostasis: The process by which an organism maintains the stability of internal body conditions influenced by external changes. - Excretion: Removal of wast products of metabolism from the body such as urea, excess water, excess salts, carbon dioxide. - Nutrition: Process by which an organism takes in and uses food to support all body reactions. Some organisms can make their own food but some cannot, but feed on others. Those that make their own food included plants which carries out photosynthesis and are referred to as autotrophic organisms. - Growth: This is a permanent increase in mass and size of the body of an organism.  3. Explain if viruses are alive or not. Viruses are not considered to be alive for several reasons such as: - They are not made of cells - They can not grow - They cannot multiply on their own - They do not carry out respiration However viruses can multiply when inside cells of living things. They also cause many diseases to living things for example: - Covid-19 - Mpox virus - Ebola - HIV - Spanish flu - Measles - Yellow fever caused - Polio - Chicken pox - 4. An alien has just arrived from another planet. It is having trouble to distnguish between living and non-living things for example it looks at a car and thinks that the car is a living thing. Help the alien to understand that the car is not a living thing and explain to it how it can recognize living things. We can explain to the alien that living things have certain characteristics that differentiate them from non-living things. Living things have characteristics such as having the ability to grow which a car doesn't possess, cars can’t grow bigger and change over time like living things can unless someone repairs or modifies them. A living thing can respond to stimuli which non-living things aren't able to do, a car isn’t able to respond to its environment. A living thing can move by itself at its own will but a non-living thing can’t move by itself at its own will. Non-living things aren’t able to reproduce and produce offspring like living things, living ones can produce offspring. In conclusion, the alien can focus on certain points such as questioning if the subject can move by itself, if it can reproduce, if it can respond to it’s stimuli and if it can grow over time. PART 2: Cells 5. State the cell theory The cell theory is made of three ideas, we call those ideas (postulates) - The cell is the basic unit of life; - All living things are made of cells; - Cells come from pre-existing cells by cell division; 6. Using images, state the main features of the following cells: a) Animal cell Source: What Is An Animal Cell? Facts, Pictures & Info For Kids & Students. b) Plant cell Source: What is a Plant Cell? | Twinkl Teaching Wiki c) Bacterial cell Sources: https://quizlet.com/gb/254562699/bacterial-cell-prokaryotic-cell-diagram/  7. State the differences between: a) Plant and animal cells Plant cells Animal cells Plant cell has a cell wall Animal cell has no cell wall Plant cells have chloroplast Animal cell has no chloroplast Plant cell has a large vacuole Animal cell has no vacuole Plant cell has a regular shape Animal cell has an irregular shape Plant cells have a nucleus at the side Animal cells have the nucleus at the center b) Plant and bacterial cells Plant cells Bacterial cells Plant cells have mitochondria Bacterial cells have no mitochondria Plant cells have no flagellum Bacterial cells have flagellum Plant cells have no plasmidys Bacterial cells have pladmidys Plant cells have no capsule Bacterial cells have capsules Plant cells have a nucleus Bacterial cells have no nucleus Plant cells have no pili Bacterial cells have pili Plant cells have chloroplast Bacterial cells have no chloroplast Plant cells have a large vacuole Bacterial cells have no large vacuole 8. Identify the cell organelles that are responsible for the following functions. a) Production of energy:- Mitochondria (both in plant and animal cells) b) Photosynthesis:- Chloroplast (only in plants) c) Storage of water and minerals in plant cells:- Vacuole (only in plants) d) Controlling the entry and exit of materials into and out of the cell:- Cell membrane (All) e) Storage of genetic material and controlling all activities of the cell:- Nucleus (Both in plant and animals) f) Providing strength for the cell:- Cell wall (Both in bacteria and plant cells) g) Site for chemical reactions in the cell:- Cytoplasm (All) h) Synthesis (Formation) of protein:- Ribosomes (All)  9. What is meant by specialised cells? These are cells that are adapted to perform a specific function 10. Using the table below, identify and state the function of five specialized cells found in animals Name of specialized Image/diagram Function cell Red blood cell The red blood cell's main function is to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it throughout our body. Red blood cells also transport waste such as carbon dioxide back to our lungs to be exhaled. Nerve cell Nerves send electrical signals that help you feel sensations and move your muscles. Nerves also control body functions like digesting food and maintaining your heart rate. White blood cell White blood cells are part of the body's immune system. They help the body fight infection and other diseases. Ciliated cell Ciliated cells play an integral role in the defense mechanisms of the respiratory system. By the coordinated beating of their cilia they provide the force necessary to clear potentially harmful material from the airways. Sperm cell The function of the sperm is to provide half of the genetic material to form a fertilized zygote or embryo upon fertilizing with an egg. Muscle cell It is also known as a muscle fiber due to its long and fiber-like shape. Its job is to support the body in movement through varying types of contractions. Red blood cells: Short notes on Erythrocytes - Definition, Structure and Function Nerve cell: Science Snippet: Get to Know Your Nerve Cells! White blood cell: White blood cells: Function, ranges, types, and more Ciliated cell: Proposed model of SRF action in ciliated airway epithelial cells... | Download Scientific Diagram Sperm cell:What is the structure of a mature human sperm cell? - Lifeeasy Biology: Questions and Answers Muscle cell: Muscle Cells: Types, Structure, Functions, Diseases 11. Using the table below, identify and state the function of the following specialized cells found in plants. Name of specialized cell Image/diagram Function Palisade mesophyll cell To carry out photosynthesis What is the function of the palisade mesophyll? - Lifeeasy Biology: Questions and Answers Root hair cell To absorb water from the soil Root Hair - Definition, Structure, Function & Diagram Xylem cells To transport water and minerals through the stem to the leaves Xylem Definition and Examples - Biology Online Dictionary  12. There are several levels of organization in a living organism. State these levels of organisation. Cell →Tissue → Organ →Organ system → Organism 13. Define and give examples of each level stated above. Use the table below Level of organization Definition Examples Images Cells The cell is the basic Ciliated cell, White blood cell, unit of life Nerve cell, Muscle cell, Xylem cell Tissue This is a group of Muscle tissue similar cells that are Nervous tissue linked together and Connective tissue perform the same function. Organ They are a group of Animal organs: tissues that perform a - Stomach particular function. - Heart - Skin - Kidney - Liver - Spleen - Intestines - Gall bladder - Pancreas Plant organs: - Leaves - Stem - Roots - Fruits - Flowers Organ system Organ system is a Animal organ system: group of organs which - Nervous system work together to fulfil a - Respiratory system specific purpose. - Digestive system - Circulatory system Plant organ system: - Shoot organ system - Root organ system Organism An organism is a living Multicellular organism: thing that can function - Humans on its own. - Plants - Fungi Unicellular organism: - Bacteria - Archaea Cell: What are cells in the human body? | Twinkl Teaching Wiki Tissue: Animal Tissue Stock Illustration Organ: Diagram of Human Organs - GeeksforGeeks Lesson Explainer: Specialized Plant Structures | Nagwa Organ system: Human Organs and Organ Systems - Advanced | CK-12 Foundation Organism: Taxonomy - Classification, Naming, Organizing | Britannica PART 3: Classification 14. What is classification? Classification is a grouping of living organisms based on their similarities. 15. Explain what Binomial Nomemenclature means and state the scientist who formulated it. - Binomial nomenclature is a system of naming living organisms in which each living organism is assigned two Latin names. It’s an international recognised system that was inventer by Carl Linneus in 1753. - In this system, each organism is given two names. The first name is called a genus name and it starts with a capital letter while the second name is called a species name and it starts with a small letter. Bi- Two Nomial- Number Nomenclature- Naming 16. Look up the scientific names of the following organisms. Common Name Image Scientific name Man Homo sapiens Mango tree Magifera indica https://www.reforestaction.com/en/mag azine/presenting-my-tree-mango-tree Anopheles mosquito Anopheles gambiae (Anopheles stephensi) https://www.nicd.ac.za/mosquito-specie s-from-asia-poses-growing-risk-to-afric as-anti-malaria-efforts/ Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes https://shop.wwf.ca/products/chimpanz ee-e-card Dog Canis lupus familliaris https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog- breeds/golden-retriever-puppy-training- timeline/ Cat Felis domestica https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Felis _catus Frog Rana temporaria https://today.uconn.edu/2017/07/frogs- early-fate-gut-microbiome-shapes-later -health/  Rat Ratlus ratlus https://www.pendervet.com/blog/caring -for-your-pet-rat 17. Insert a suitable table and in it state the scientific names of 5 organisms of your choice. Common name Scientific name Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus Sea otter Enhydra lutris Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum Racoon Procyon lotor 18. Complete the table below by writing the scientific name, genus, species or common name of the organism Common name Scientific name Genus Species Liver fluke Fasciola hepatica Fasciola hepatica Euglena Euglena gracilis Euglena gracilis Cow Bos taurus Bos taurus Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus Danaus plexippus Rat Rattus Rattus rattus 19. There are seven levels at which all living organisms can be classified. State these levels from the largest to the smallest. Kingdom -> Phylum -> Class -> Order -> Family -> Genus -> Species  20. Formulate a mnemonic that can help you to recall these 5 levels of classification. - Knight - Peter - Caught - Over - Five - Good - Sparrows 21. There are five kingdoms in which all living organisms are classified. State the names of the five kingdoms. - Animalia - Plantae - Fungi - Protoctista - Monera/prokaryote 22. In the table below, state the main distinguishing characteristics and examples of each kingdom. Kingdom Distinguishing characteristics Examples Animalia They have a nervous system Cow, Tiger, Monkey, Red Panda, Butterfly, Dog, Platypus, Whale, Most of them can move from one place to Cat, Eagle, Racoon, Koala, another They are heterotrophic (they feed on other organisms) They have multicellular They have many organs Plantae They are autotrophic Mango tree, Tulips, Cactus, Sunflower, Daisies, Lavender, Lily Some have organs like leaves, stems and of the valley, Orchids, Palm trees, roots Rose bush, Chrysanthemum, Guarana, Kelp. They are multicellular Fungi They are heterotropic Mushrooms, yeast, bracket fungi, toadstools, moulds, They produce/release spores They feed on dead decaying matter Protoctista Some have chlorophyll and can make their Euglena, algae, amoeba, own food while some are heterotrophic. plasmodium Some can move while others can not. Some are unicellular and others are multi-cellular. Monera/ Prokaryote They are all unicellular All bacteria They are extremely small They have prokaryotic cells (they don’t have a nucleus) Some of them cause diseases, not all 23. In a group, create a poster for each kingdom to show the organisms that belong to that kingdom. 24. State the kingdom to which the following organisms could belong. Image of Organism Kingdom 25. Assign each mystery organism to a kingdom based on the description. Complete the chart below. Description/picture Identity I am a single celled organism with a nuecleus and I can make my own food by photosynthesis. I am a muticellular organism that feeds on dead decaying matter. My cells have a cell wall made of chitin. I am a single celled organism with flagella that I use for movement but unfortunately I have no nucleus and so my DNA lies freely in the cytoplasm. 26. Some organisms in the animal kingdom are vertebrates while others are invertebrates. The vertebrates are divided into 5 classes or groups. With examples and images, state these 5 groups of vertebrates. Mention the main distinguishing characteristics of each.