Final answer:
A concept map on the characteristics of life would include organization and cells, response to stimuli, homeostasis, metabolism, growth and development, and reproduction as the six core traits shared by all living things.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Life
The concept map of the characteristics of life includes various elements that are essential in defining what makes an organism 'alive'. The six core characteristics shared by all living things include:
- Organization and cells
- Response to stimuli
- Homeostasis
- Metabolism
- Growth and development
- Reproduction
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions. Cells are the basic unit of life, making up all organisms, and the ability to produce the next generation is known as reproduction. In the context of living things, a cell product could be any molecule or compound that is produced by a cell as a result of metabolic processes.
Responses to the environment may not always be immediately obvious; they could range from rapid movements to changes in growth patterns. Life is said to evolve at the level of the population, reflecting changes in gene frequencies over time. To determine if an object like a dead twig is actually a living stick insect, one could observe it for movement, signs of growth, or responses to stimuli which are characteristics of life.