Characteristics of living things

4. All living organisms need to
take substances from their
environment to obtain energy,
to grow and to stay healthy.

5. All living organisms show movement of
one kind or another. All living organisms
have internal movement, which means
that they have the ability of moving
substances from one part of their body to
another. Some living organisms show
external movement as well - they can
move from place to place by walking,
flying or swimming.

6. All living things exchange gases with their
environment. Animals take in oxygen and
breathe out carbon dioxide.
Respiration is the generation of energy inside
the cells of the body. Some organisms use
Oxygen to generate this energy and this
respiration is called AEROBIC RESPIRATION.
Other organisms do not use Oxygen and this
respiration is called ANAEROBIC
RESPIRATION.

7. Excretion is the removal of waste from the
body. If this waste was allowed to remain
in the body it could be poisonous.
Humans produce a liquid waste called
urine and solid waste called faeces. We
also excrete carbon dioxide when we
breathe out , and salts and water in our
sweat. All living things need to remove
waste from their bodies.

8. When living things feed they gain
energy. Some of this energy is used in
growth. Living things become larger and
more complicated as they grow.

9. Living things react to changes around
them. We react to touch, light, heat,
cold and sound, as do other living
things.

10. All living things produce young ones.
Humans make babies, cats produce
kittens and pigeons lay eggs. Plants also
reproduce. Many make seeds which can
germinate and grow into new plants. All
living things propagate themselves as not
to become extinct in the future
generations.

11. Study the list of things shown below and decide
whether you think they are
- living or
- once living but now dead or
-never living
light bulb apple paper bag
mushrooms coal spider glass
jar wool rose copper
jug mouse human