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Which eight characteristics are shared by living organisms?
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Edexcel IGCSE Science (Double Award)
Science (Double Award): All TopicsComplete deck
01·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Which eight characteristics are shared by living organisms?
Answer
Living organisms require nutrition, respire, excrete their waste, respond to their surroundings, move, control their internal conditions, reproduce, and grow and develop.
02·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
What does the term life processes refer to?
Answer
The activities characteristic of living organisms, such as nutrition, respiration, excretion and growth.
03·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Why is movement alone insufficient to establish that something is living?
Answer
Non-living things can move too. Living organisms share a range of characteristics, including respiration, nutrition, excretion, response, internal control, reproduction and growth and development.
04·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
An object moves and becomes larger over time. Why does this not prove that it is a living organism?
Answer
Movement and increasing size can also occur in non-living things. Evidence of other life processes, such as respiration, nutrition and excretion, is needed before concluding it is living.
05·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A living plant appears motionless during a brief observation. Explain why it is still living.
Answer
Visible movement is not continuous or always rapid. The plant carries out life processes such as respiration, nutrition, growth, excretion and responses to its surroundings; some movements occur slowly.
06·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
What is nutrition as a characteristic of living organisms?
Answer
Obtaining or making nutrients to supply materials for growth and repair and food substances from which energy can be released by respiration.
07·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Why do living organisms need nutrients?
Answer
Nutrients provide materials for growth and repair and substances used in respiration to release energy for life processes.
08·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
How do green plants obtain food substances?
Answer
Green plants make food substances by photosynthesis, using light energy, carbon dioxide and water.
09·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
How do animals obtain nutrients?
Answer
Animals feed on other organisms or material derived from them and obtain nutrients from that food.
10·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Explain why both a green plant and an animal require nutrition even though they obtain food differently.
Answer
Both need materials for growth and repair and substances for respiration. A green plant makes food by photosynthesis; an animal obtains food by feeding.
11·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A seedling grows taller and produces new leaves. What does this show about its need for nutrition?
Answer
The seedling needs nutrient materials to make new cells and tissues as it grows and develops.
12·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A plant in light makes glucose from carbon dioxide and water. Identify the life characteristic shown and explain its significance.
Answer
Nutrition: the plant produces food substances that supply materials for growth and can be used in respiration to release energy.
13·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A student says, “Plants do not need nutrition because they do not eat.” Explain the error.
Answer
Nutrition does not always mean eating. Plants require nutrition but usually make their own food by photosynthesis instead of feeding on other organisms.
14·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
What is respiration in living organisms?
Answer
A chemical process in cells that releases energy from food substances for life processes.
15·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
What is the main purpose of respiration for living organisms?
Answer
To release energy needed for life processes, such as movement, growth and maintaining internal conditions.
16·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Do plants carry out respiration?
Answer
Yes. Living plant cells respire to release energy for life processes, including during darkness.
17·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Does cellular respiration always require oxygen?
Answer
No. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen; anaerobic respiration releases energy without oxygen.
18·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
How is respiration different from breathing?
Answer
Respiration is a chemical process in cells that releases energy; breathing is the physical movement of air into and out of the lungs.
19·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Why does a growing plant need to respire even when it photosynthesises?
Answer
Photosynthesis makes food substances; respiration releases energy from food substances for growth and other life processes.
20·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Why does a running animal need energy released by respiration?
Answer
Respiration releases energy needed for muscle contraction and movement, as well as other life processes.
21·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A plant is kept in darkness overnight but remains alive. Explain which energy-related life process continues and why.
Answer
Respiration continues in living cells, releasing energy from stored food for life processes. Photosynthesis is not needed for respiration to continue during darkness.
22·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A student claims that “releasing energy” and “breathing” are the same characteristic. Correct the claim.
Answer
The life characteristic is respiration: chemical reactions in cells release energy. Breathing helps exchange gases but is not the same process as respiration.
23·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
What is excretion?
Answer
Removal from an organism of waste products produced by metabolic reactions in its cells.
24·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Give an example of an excretory waste product in animals.
Answer
Carbon dioxide, produced during aerobic respiration, is an excretory waste product in animals.
25·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Give an example of an excretory waste product in green plants.
Answer
Oxygen produced during photosynthesis can be released from a green plant as a waste product.
26·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Why do living organisms need to excrete metabolic waste?
Answer
Waste substances made by chemical reactions can accumulate and may be harmful; excretion removes them.
27·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
How is excretion different from egestion?
Answer
Excretion removes metabolic waste produced by cells. Egestion removes undigested food material that has not been absorbed.
28·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
Why is carbon dioxide leaving an animal an example of excretion?
Answer
Carbon dioxide is a waste product made by respiration in cells and is removed from the organism.
29·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
An animal releases carbon dioxide and passes undigested material in faeces. Which process is excretion, and why?
Answer
Releasing carbon dioxide is excretion because it removes a waste product of cellular respiration. Passing undigested food is egestion, not excretion.
30·1 The nature and variety of living organisms — 1(a) Characteristics of living organisms
A green plant releases oxygen while in light. Explain how this can demonstrate excretion.
Answer
Photosynthesis produces oxygen as a product that the plant can remove or release; removing such a waste product demonstrates excretion.