This document outlines the key characteristics that are common to all living things: 1) All living things are composed of cells that contain DNA. 2) Living things are organized from microscopic to macroscopic levels and can reproduce. 3) The document then lists 7 characteristics in more detail: cells/DNA, order/organization, growth and development, reproduction, energy processing, response to stimuli, and regulation/homeostasis. It states that all living things share these characteristics.

1. IS IT ALIVE?
CHARACTERISTICS
COMMON TO ALL LIFE
ADVANCED BIOLOGY

2. How do we
differentiate
a living
thing from a
non-living
thing?
Task: For the next 12 slides, observe each object
and decide if you believe it is living or non-living.
Record your answers on your note sheet.

3. OBJECT 1

4. OBJECT 2

5. OBJECT 3

6. OBJECT 4

7. OBJECT 5

8. OBJECT 6

9. OBJECT 7

10. OBJECT 8

11. OBJECT 9

12. OBJECT 10

13. OBJECT 11

14. OBJECT 12

15. WHAT DOES IT MEAN
TO BE ALIVE?
For those objects you marked living, why did you believe
those objects to be living?
What do ALL living things have in common?
What characteristics do all living things share?
Brainstorm ideas that you believe all living things have in
common? Think about the objects you observed, for those
you believed were living what characteristics did they all
share?

16. CHARACTERISTICS OF
LIFE

17. 1. CELL(S)/DNA
All organisms are composed of one or
more cells
Cell(s) contain DNA which is passed on
in reproduction
Two kinds of cells:
1. Unicellular or prokaryotic (w/ one cell;
ex. bacteria)
2. Multicellular or eukaryotic (w/ many
cells; ex. Human, plant)

18. 2. ORDER/ORGANIZATION
 Organisms are organized from
microscopic levels of atoms to
organisms – more complex
structures made up of smaller less
complex building blocks.
 Organisms continue in organized
levels (organism makes up
population, etc.) to biosphere.

19. 3. GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
All organisms grow and increase in
size and volume due to nutrients
gained from food.
While all living things may not share
specific life stages, all life does grow
and develop.

20. 4. REPRODUCTION
Organisms make offspring off their own
kind.
Reproduction is essential to pass DNA
to the offspring.
Sexual reproduction involves union of
sex cells or two parents
Asexual reproduction does not require
union of sex cells or one parent

21. 5. ENERGY PROCESSING
Ability of organisms to metabolize
molecules and convert them to energy
(Metabolism)
Organisms are classified as:
1. Autotrophs – have the ability to
produce own food (ex. plants,
photosynthetic bacteria, algae)
2. Heterotrophs – cannot produce own
food; depend on other organisms for
food (ex. humans, most animals)

22. 6. RESPONSE TO STIMULI
All organisms respond to their
environment.
Stimuli are factors that trigger a
reaction of living things.

23. 7. REGULATION/HOMEOSTASIS
 Organisms maintain a stable
internal environment, from
temperature, water and gas
regulation, chemicals to sugar
levels.

24. 8. EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATION
Organisms that possess heritable
traits that enable them to better adapt
to their environment will survive,
reproduce and pass more of their
genes on to the next generation.