Life Activities

Life ActivitiesCharacteristics Common to all living

organisms

All living things are made of matter:

Matter: • Def: Anything that takes up space and has mass

• 2 Types of matter:1. Inorganic2. Organic

Organic • Any matter that contains the element Carbon (exception – CO & CO2)

• All living organisms are carbon based life forms

• Matter that is living or was once part of a living organism is most likely organic– Ex. Wool, Honey, Cotton,

Sugar, Wood

Inorganic • Any matter that does not have carbon (except – CO & CO2)

• Examples1. H2O – Water2. NaCl – Salt3. Sand, Gold, Iron, Lead

Mr. StrangerM – MetabolismR – RespirationS – SynthesisT – TransportR – RegulationA – AssimilationN – NutritionG – GrowthE – ExcretionR - Reproduction

Metabolism • All the chemical reactions in your body

• Example: Burning off energy– A higher metabolism burns

off energy faster– A slower metabolism burns

off energy slower (and if food consumed is not burned, it is stored for later)

Respiration • Release of chemical energy in the presence of food and oxygen

• Occurs in each and every cell of your body

• Breathing brings in oxygen• Eating brings in sugar• Energy is released for the body to use• Carbon Dioxide and Water is released as

waste.

+ CO2O2 + C6H12O6 + H2OATP(energy)

Respiration • Aerobic Respiration:– Oxygen is used in this type of

respiration– More efficient and more energy

is released

• Anaerobic Respiration:– Respiration without oxygen– Less efficient and less energy

• Fermentation:– Yeast break down sugar in bread to

release carbon dioxide

• Lactic Acid Production:– Occurs in your muscles when they

cannot get enough oxygen.

Synthesis • Combining simple substance to make complex substances

• Example: Combine simple proteins to make muscle

Transport • The movement of substances within an organism– Unicellular: • Moving substances into and

out of the cell using diffusion

– Multicellular:• Same as unicellular, but also

requires a circulatory system to bring substances to and away from each and every cell.

Regulation • The maintaining of Homeostasis:– A constant internal

environment• Examples:– Warm blooded animals create

their own heat to regulate their body temperature

– Cold blooded change their behavior to bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature

Assimilation • The body uses nutrients in food (proteins, fats) to build/repair/power itself.

• “You are what you eat”

Nutrition • Is the combination of:

Ingestion Digestion AbsorptionTaking in food Breaking down

food into simple substances

Simple substances are absorbed by the cells

Nutrition

Used for Energy

Food

Used for growth and repair

DuringRespiration

During Synthesis and Assimilation

• The different uses of food

Growth • Increase in size/or maturing

• Life Span – The maximum amount of Time an organism is expected to live

Excretion • The removal of waste from a cellExamples:– Breathing out CO2

– Sweat (perspiration)– Urination

Excretion Ingestion

DigestionNot AbsorbedAbso

rbed

Egestion(feces, poop)

Used in Respiration

Waste of Respiration Excreted

Reproduction • 2 Types

Sexual Reproduction

Asexual Reproduction

• 2 Parents• Offspring are not

identical to parents

• 1 Parent• Offspring are

identical to parent

Asexual Reproduction

Budding Binary Fission• When an organism

grows off the parent

• Example:Hydra

• When one cell splits in half into 2 cells.

• Example:Bacteria

Asexual Reproduction

Budding Binary Fission

Early Earth • Formation began approximately 4.6 billion years ago.

• Composition of the early Earth’s atmosphere:– Water vapor– Carbon Monoxide– Hydrogen Sulfide– Methane– Hydrogen

Stanley Miller • First scientist to provide evidence for the possible creation of life.

• Simulated the conditions of the early Earth, which created the building blocks of life!

4 Organic Molecules

1. Carbohydrates2. Proteins3. Fats/Oils4. Nucleic Acids

Chemistry of Living Things

Carbohydrates • Main source of energy for living things

• Made up of 3 elements:– Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen

• 2 Main Categories

Starches• Potatoes, Rice,

Noodles, Bread• When broken

down, starches will become simple sugars

Simple Sugars:- Fruits and

other processed sugar

Proteins • Made of Elements:– Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen,

and Nitrogen• Amino Acids are the

building blocks of a protein.• Sources: Beans, Poultry,

Nuts, Eggs, Meats, Fish, etc..• Used for growth, repair, hair,

muscles, and energy

Enzymes • A special type of protein that regulates chemical activity. It is a catalyst, which speeds up or slows down a chemical reaction, but is not changed by the reaction.

Fats/Oils(also known as

lipids)

• Energy rich compounds• Made of the Elements:– Carbon, Oxygen, and

Hydrogen• Fats Solid at Room Temp.• Oil Liquid at Room Temp.• Provide Insulation From:– Heat– Cushioning vital organs from

damage

Nucleic Acids • “blueprints of life”• Store the information

needed to build proteins• Examples:– DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)– RNA (Ribonucleic acid)

Energy is measured in Calories

Made of Amino Acids

Simple Sugar

(glucose)

Fatty Acids & Glycerol

Calories per gram 4 4 9