Flash Cards: Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics

A living being is an organism that exhibits characteristics such as growth, movement, response to stimuli, respiration, reproduction, and excretion.

Non-living things do not have the characteristics of life, such as growth, reproduction, or the ability to respond to stimuli.

Plants respire through tiny pores called stomata on their leaves, allowing for gas exchange.

Excretion is the process of removing waste products from the body, which is essential for maintaining internal balance.

Growth refers to an increase in size or mass that occurs in living organisms over time.

Reproduction is the biological process by which living beings produce new individuals of their own kind.

A stimulus is any external factor that prompts a response in a living organism.

Examples of stimuli include light and temperature changes, which can affect behavior or growth in organisms.

Movement in plants includes responses such as the opening of flowers or the movement of leaves, although they do not move from one place to another.

An insectivorous plant is one that traps and obtains nutrients from insects, like the Drosera or sundew.

One key characteristic is the ability to grow and respond to the environment, which non-living things cannot do.

Germination is the process by which a seed develops into a new plant, requiring conditions such as moisture, warmth, and sometimes light.

Key conditions include the right amount of water, air, and temperature, with some seeds requiring light or darkness.

Roots grow downward (positive geotropism), while shoots grow upward (negative geotropism) due to gravity.

Without water, plants cannot perform photosynthesis, leading to wilting and death.

Respiration is vital for animal survival as it provides the energy necessary for all bodily functions.

Yes, all living organisms require food for energy, growth, and the maintenance of bodily functions.

Sunlight is essential for photosynthesis, enabling plants to produce energy and grow.