Final answer:
The properties of life include order, sensitivity or response to environment, reproduction, growth and development, regulation, homeostasis, energy processing, and evolution. These criteria collectively help to define and identify living organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Properties of Life
All living organisms share certain fundamental characteristics that define life. These include:
- Order: Organisms exhibit complex but structured organization, where each biological structure serves a specific function.
- Sensitivity or Response to Environment: Living things have the ability to respond to stimuli from their environment.
- Reproduction: Life forms have the capability to reproduce and pass genetic information to their offspring.
- Growth and Development: Organisms grow and develop according to their genetic instructions.
- Regulation and Homeostasis: Organisms can regulate their internal environment to maintain a consistent state.
- Energy Processing: Living beings utilize energy and carry out metabolism to maintain life processes.
- Adaptation: They can evolve features over generations that help them survive in their environment.
- Evolution: Populations of organisms change over time to accumulate adaptations to their environment.
Together, these characteristics distinguish living entities from non-living matter.