Bio: Chap 1.1 Characteristics of life

• What common traits/characteristics does all life have?

  organization, obtain food and use energy, maintain homeostasis, respond to stimuli, develop and reproduce, adaptations to environment
• What does "life is organized" mean?

  Having cells, hierarchical organization
• What is the definition for "species"

  Organisms that can reproduce and have children
• What is the definition of a "population"

  All organisms of one species living in one area
• What is the definition of a "community"?

  All life forms in one area (ex: plants + animals)
• What is the energy source that almost all organisms use?

  The sun
• What is an "autotroph"?

  organisms that convert solar energy into chemical energy
• What are two examples of autotrophs?

  plants and algae
• What is a "heterotroph?"

  organisms gather chemical energy from autotrophs (ex: eating plants)
• What is homeostasis?

  Organisms maintaining internal conditions through feedback mechanisms
• What are some examples of feedback mechanisms?

  maintaining internal conditions such as temp. pH, energy
• What is a "stimulus-response"

  organisms changing behavior in response to the environment
• What is an example of a stimulus response

  Moving body to get food
• What are the two types of reproduction?

  sexual and asexual
• What is the purpose of reproduction?

  To pass on genetic information to the next generation
• What is an "adaptation"?

  change in the body structure and/or function to better enable survival in the environment
• What is an example of an adaptation?

  penguins wings used for swimming not flying, extra fat
• What does it mean to "evolve"?

  change in a population body's structure and functions over time (genetics, natural selection)