It's a Living Thing Trivia Quiz

Answer:

We all understand that human beings are living things and that they, as a group, will perform all of the functions we described above and will develop further below. But, before we do, ask yourself this, is a motor car a living thing or a non-living thing? After all, it does take in fuel, it can move, and it can excrete waste. Think about the human being vs the motor car as we explore these seven characteristics a little bit deeper and make your own mind up.

Nutrition is a living thing utilizing the materials from its environment so that it can generate energy to work through all of its other functions. These foods may be things such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Most plants, for example, will draw nutrients from carbon dioxide and water and they will convert them into energy using the light from the sun. This is a process called photosynthesis.

Once the nutrients enter the cells they are broken down and glucose, a form of sugar, is created and, when it interacts with oxygen, it releases energy. This process is called respiration. There are two forms of respiration: aerobic, which involves oxygen in the process, and anaerobic. The latter does not use oxygen but another chemical to break down the glucose. This anaerobic process is also called fermentation.

As stated above, this release of energy is used in a number of ways. The first is movement, and all living things will move... yes, even that giant oak tree. It may move slowly and, at times its movements may be difficult to see, but it will move. Excretion of waste matter from the body of a living thing is vital. The waste materials may be toxic, and they can cause harm or poison the cells if not disposed of. Growth is the creation of new cells and reproduction is the ability that organisms have to produce offspring.

The final characteristic of an organism is sensitivity. There are various stimuli around living things. These include other chemicals, temperature, water, gravity and light. Living things will sense these and they will respond to them. For example, if the temperature drops suddenly, there's a good chance that the organism will respond by shivering.