How one can distinguish living out of non living (without considering defining and non defining feature of life)????
Taking in Energy and Nutrients To survive, all living things must continually take in and use some form of nutrients or energy and can be classified as either producers or consumers. Producers make organic compounds using energy (such as sunlight) and inorganic compounds, while consumers must consume producers or other organisms for food. All living creatures have metabolic processes, or chemical reactions that happen at the cellular level to transform, store or release energy and synthesize nutrients.
Sensing and Responding to Change In addition to taking in nutrients and using energy, living things are also able to sense and respond to changes in their environment and within themselves. Individual cells may sense subtle changes in temperature or chemical composition, for example, and the organism itself may sense changes within and without itself. Sometimes organisms respond to changes in their environment through movement. Some movement may be obvious, as with an animal moving to find shelter or fleeing from a predator. Other forms of movement may be less clear to the naked eye, as with the stem of a plant moving subtly and very slowly to track the sun.
Growing and Reproducing All living things are able to both grow and reproduce themselves. In some cases growth may not be readily apparent, but each living organism will increase in cellular size, volume or number throughout its lifespan. Living things also reproduce themselves and pass their genetic information on to offspring. This can occur either sexually, by combining the genes of two genetically distinct parents, or asexually, by creating a genetic copy of a single organism.
Other Characteristics of Living Things In addition to these necessary characteristics, living organisms are also defined by their cellular structure. All living things are composed of one or more cells and contain a genetic code in the form of DNA. Simple unicellular organisms are just as alive as complex multicellular organisms. Living things also lend themselves to organization, from their cell structure to their place in an ecosystem. Within a multicellular organism, cells may form into tissues, which can be organized into organs and organ systems that make up the individual organism. Individual organisms, in turn, are interdependent members of larger organizations in the form of populations, communities, ecosystems and the biosphere.
1. Living things can move, but non-living things cannot.
2. Energy is required by living things, while non-livings do not require energy.
3. Living things are capable of growth, reproduction and death.
4. Non-living things are non-motile, but living things can move around.
5. Living things respire; non-living things do not respire.
6. Living things adapt to the surroundings and respond to stimulus.
Read more: Difference Between Living and Non-living Things | Difference Between
To survive, all living things must continually take in and use some form of nutrients or energy and can be classified as either producers or consumers. Producers make organic compounds using energy (such as sunlight) and inorganic compounds, while consumers must consume producers or other organisms for food. All living creatures have metabolic processes, or chemical reactions that happen at the cellular level to transform, store or release energy and synthesize nutrients.
In addition to taking in nutrients and using energy, living things are also able to sense and respond to changes in their environment and within themselves. Individual cells may sense subtle changes in temperature or chemical composition, for example, and the organism itself may sense changes within and without itself. Sometimes organisms respond to changes in their environment through movement. Some movement may be obvious, as with an animal moving to find shelter or fleeing from a predator. Other forms of movement may be less clear to the naked eye, as with the stem of a plant moving subtly and very slowly to track the sun.
All living things are able to both grow and reproduce themselves. In some cases growth may not be readily apparent, but each living organism will increase in cellular size, volume or number throughout its lifespan. Living things also reproduce themselves and pass their genetic information on to offspring. This can occur either sexually, by combining the genes of two genetically distinct parents, or asexually, by creating a genetic copy of a single organism.
In addition to these necessary characteristics, living organisms are also defined by their cellular structure. All living things are composed of one or more cells and contain a genetic code in the form of DNA. Simple unicellular organisms are just as alive as complex multicellular organisms. Living things also lend themselves to organization, from their cell structure to their place in an ecosystem. Within a multicellular organism, cells may form into tissues, which can be organized into organs and organ systems that make up the individual organism. Individual organisms, in turn, are interdependent members of larger organizations in the form of populations, communities, ecosystems and the biosphere.
1. Living things can move, but non-living things cannot.
2. Energy is required by living things, while non-livings do not require energy.
3. Living things are capable of growth, reproduction and death.
4. Non-living things are non-motile, but living things can move around.
5. Living things respire; non-living things do not respire.
6. Living things adapt to the surroundings and respond to stimulus.
Read more: Difference Between Living and Non-living Things | Difference Between
