Discussion - What does it mean to be living

Discussion Board-COL

Prompt

Chapter one of almost every biology book discusses the characteristics of life.  Sometimes it is hard for students to grasp the meaning of the characteristics of life.  With this in mind, I would like for you to read chapter one and watch the BioNOW video titled, Characteristics of Life. After you have completed these tasks, answer the following questions so that I can assess your understanding of the concept and ensure that all misconceptions are addressed.

Questions:

What does it mean to be living?

How do you know if something is not living?

Does an organism have to reproduce to be alive?

How do all organisms other than plants gain their energy?

What are internal ways an organism responds to the environment?

Give an example of your body maintaining homeostasis. What would happen if it failed?

Why do organisms need to adapt?

Why is the current environment making it difficult for organisms to adapt?