Concept 1 of 9Foundation
Watch on YouTubeVideoWhat is alive?
Living things share these characteristics (most have ALL of them):
- Need food and water
- Grow in size / number of cells
- Breathe (respire — take O₂, give CO₂ for most)
- Respond to stimuli (touch, light, sound)
- Reproduce — make new organisms like themselves
- Excrete waste
- Move (even plants bend toward light)
- Have a life cycle (birth → growth → death)
Example
A car uses fuel, moves, emits smoke — but it doesn't grow or reproduce. Not alive.
Plants don't walk, but they grow, respire, respond to light, reproduce — alive.
Plants don't walk, but they grow, respire, respond to light, reproduce — alive.
💡 Tip:A single trait isn't enough. It's the COMBINATION that marks life.
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