What are the seven characteristics of living things

There are seven activities which make organisms different from non-living things. These are the seven characteristics of living organisms.

1 Nutrition Living things take in materials from their surroundings that they use for growth or to provide energy. Nutrition is the process by which organisms obtain energy and raw materials from nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates and fats.  

2 Respiration  is the release of energy from food substances in all living cells. Living things break down food within their cells to release energy for carrying out the following processes.  

3 Movement All living things move. It is very obvious that a leopard moves but what about the thorn tree it sits in? Plants too move in various different ways. The movement may be so slow that it is very difficult to see.  

4 Excretion All living things excrete. As a result of the many chemical reactions occurring in cells, they have to get rid of waste products which might poison the cells. Excretion is defined as the removal of toxic materials, the waste products of metabolism and substances in excess from the body of an organism.  

5 Growth is seen in all living things. It involves using food to produce new cells. The permanent increase in cell number and size is called growth.  

6 Reproduction All living organisms have the ability to produce offspring.

7 Sensitivity All living things are able to sense and respond to stimuli around them such as light, temperature, water, gravity and chemical substances.