6 essential characteristics of life

• the complete 6 essential characteristics of life are:

  • organization
  • metabolism
  • responsiveness
  • growth
  • development
  • reproduction
• organization refers to:

  specific interrelationships among the parts of an organism and how those parts interact with eachother
• refers to all the chemical reaction taking place in cells and internal environment od the body

  metabolism
• organism's ability to sense or see change in its internal and external environment and adjust to it

  responsiveness
• refers to an increase in size or number of cells which produces overall enlargement of an organism

  growth
• includes the changes an organism undergoes through time, beginning with fertilization and ending with death

  development
• formation of new cells or new organisms


  reproduction
• development involves growth but also:

  • differentiation
  • morphogenesis
• changes in cell structure: differentiation
• change in shape of tissues, organs, and the entire organism

  morphogenesis