Characteristics of living things Knowledge-Based Practice

Questions

1. 1.

   Which term encompasses the total sum of all biochemical reactions occurring within an organism that convert nutrients into usable energy and build essential cellular components?

   • A) Metabolism
   • B) Catabolism
   • C) Homeostasis
   • D) Irritability
2. 2.

   Which statement accurately describes reproduction as a fundamental characteristic of living things?

   • A) It is an obligatory physiological process required for the immediate physical survival of an individual organism.
   • B) It is necessary for the long-term persistence of a species, although not required for an individual organism to survive.
   • C) It universally requires the combination of genetic material from two distinct parent organisms.
   • D) It produces offspring that are always genetically identical to the parental generation.
3. 3.

   Which statement correctly distinguishes growth from development as fundamental characteristics of living organisms?

   • A) Growth refers to an increase in physical size or mass, whereas development involves structural differentiation and functional maturation.
   • B) Growth occurs only at the cellular level through division, whereas development occurs only through the external accretion of non-living matter.
   • C) Growth represents evolutionary adaptation over generations, whereas development represents immediate physiological responses to environmental stimuli.
   • D) Growth is limited entirely to multicellular organisms, whereas development takes place exclusively in single-celled organisms.
4. 4.

   What biological term describes the ability of an organism to maintain a relatively stable internal environment despite fluctuations in external conditions?

   • A) Adaptation
   • B) Metabolism
   • C) Homeostasis
   • D) Growth
5. 5.

   Which of the following is considered a universal characteristic shared by all living organisms?

   • A) The ability to move actively from one location to another using specialized locomotory organs
   • B) The mandatory requirement of molecular oxygen to extract energy through cellular respiration
   • C) The maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment despite external fluctuations
   • D) The direct synthesis of organic food molecules from inorganic compounds using solar energy

Answers and step-by-step solutions appear after you finish the test.