CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE

LIVING THINGS ARE MADE UP OF CELLS

• These fish are multicellular organisms that live in water
• They have cells including blood cells and skin cells

LIVING THINGS CAN REPRODUCE

• These turtles reproduce sexually
• They will mate and the female lays eggs

LIVING THINGS ARE BASED ON A UNIVERSAL GENETIC CODE

• These two plants are very similar
• Chances are, 99.9% of their DNA is the same
• DNA = Deoxyribonucleic acid

LIVING THINGS GROW AND DEVELOP

• Eventually the flowers on the left...
• Will grow up to look like the ones on the right

LIVING THINGS OBTAIN AND USE MATERIALS AND ENERGY

• This person will use materials from the vending machine for energy.

LIVING THINGS RESPOND TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT

• Plants must have the right amount of light and water to grow inside a building.

LIVING THINGS MAINTAIN A STABLE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

• When it is hot people dress in clothing that cools them down
• When it is cool people dress in warm clothing
• Homeostasis = making our internal systems a constant temperature

LIVING THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME

• In addition to growing and developing, organisms also evolve over time
• The tree on the left might eventually look like the tree on the right
• This process takes hundreds, thousands, even millions of years