Question

How do you know if something is alive? Describe some of the characteristics of living things.

Answer 1

To be alive organisms have to include all of the following:

- Made up of a cell or cells

- Has DNA

- Can reproduce

- Responds to the environment

- Grows and develops

- Exchanges energy

- Evolves

Step-by-step explanation:

Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells are both alive because they contain all of the seven necessary characteristics listed above. Viruses are not alive because they do not contain all of the seven characteristics listed above.

Answer 2

We can determine if something is a living thing by seeing if they show some of the living characteristics. These characteristics include:

Reproduction - to make more of the same organism

Sensitivity - the ability to detect and react to stimuli

Nutrition - eat and digest food.

Movement - the ability to change its position or location

Respire - to breathe / gas exchange

Excretion - get rid of toxic / materials in excess

All living things show the characteristics above.

For example, we can be sure that robots are not living things because they cannot excrete, respire, or reproduce even if they can move and sense stimuli from outside. We can also be sure that plants are living because they show all characteristics, even for movement, we don't obviously see that, but for example, they may grow towards a light source.