Living Things

Ferns and Chicks are easy to recognise as living things while stones and ice are dead as door nails. But when it comes to micro organisms, the task is not that simple.

here is a lady by the name Mrs.C.Green, who can help you.

Let us take the letters of her name.

 M =  Movement.

Non living things too can move. Clouds can move, Planes can fly. These things do not move on their own will. Clouds are pushed by the wind a plane has to be piloted

In the case of plants although the movements are limited due to the presence of cell walls they show growth movements. Normal shoots grow towards light while the roots grow towards water. In certain climbers the tendrils coil round a stick.

R = Respiration.

This is a process similar to burning. Inside the cells, the food is burnt in a special way, at a low temperature,  to release energy. Normally sugar is burnt using oxygen producing carbon dioxide and water.

S= Sensitivity.

The organisms can respond to changes in the environment.

A TV can be sensitive to a remote control but this is not the same as responding to a stimulus. TV cannot decide what it has to do. It can only perform a task that has been programmed.

In the case of a dog if you hit it we cannot say how it will respond. It may bark, run away or bite you. It can decide what’s to be done.

C = Cells.

These are the building blocks of living things. Every cell of an organism has a copy of the DNA code of that individual.

G = Growth.

Growth here does not mean mere increase in size. Crystals can grow , which is due to the deposition of matter on the surface. Growth in living things result in the formation of body matter which occurs within the calls. When cells attain a certain size they divide by a process called cell division. Growth is the result of increasing the number of cells.

R= Respiration.

This is the method of obtaining energy by the organisms. The food such as glucose is oxidised at a low temperature with the help of enzymes.

There are two modes of respiration. Aerobic and anaerobic.  In anaerobic respiration other substances are used instead of oxygen.

E = Excretion.

This is the process of removing waste matter formed inside the cells. They include mainly urine (Or ammonia) , water and carbon dioxide in the case of animals.

N= Nutrition.

Taking in of substances for the purpose of growth and respiration is nutrition. Plants take in CO2 from the air water and mineral salts from the soil and synthesize food using light energy. (Photosynthesis) Animals fungi and most bacterie obtain food from other living organisms.