Question

abiotic vs. biotic bellwork brainstorm - what makes something living? create a list of characteristics that help to identify if something is living vs nonliving.

Explanation:

Living things have characteristics like: 1. Cells: Made of one or more cells (e.g., bacteria are unicellular, animals are multicellular). 2. Reproduction: Produce offspring (sexual or asexual, like plants flowering or bacteria dividing). 3. Growth/Development: Change over time (e.g., a seed germinates into a plant, a baby grows into an adult). 4. Metabolism: Use energy (e.g., photosynthesis in plants, cellular respiration in animals). 5. Response to Stimuli: React to environment (e.g., plants bend toward light, animals flee from danger). 6. Homeostasis: Maintain internal balance (e.g., humans regulate body temperature). 7. Adaptation/Evolution: Change over generations (e.g., peppered moths adapted to pollution). Non - living things lack these, like rocks (no cells, no growth/reproduction, etc.).

Answer:

Characteristics of living things (to identify living vs non - living):

1. Composed of one or more cells.
2. Capable of reproduction (sexual or asexual).
3. Undergo growth and development.
4. Require energy (metabolism: photosynthesis/respiration).
5. Respond to environmental stimuli.
6. Maintain homeostasis (internal balance).
7. Adapt to environment over generations (evolution).

Non - living things lack these traits (e.g., rocks, water have no cells, no reproduction, etc.).