4 Key Differences Between Living and Non-Living Organisms
Living Organisms (LO) are Very Well Organized
An animal or plant is a complex organism, constituted by different parts. Each part is specialized in a different role for the LO to obtain nutrients from the external environment. This is used for growth and conservation.
LOs as Individuals
By this function, they are capable of engendering new beings resembling the original. A single-celled LO is constituted by one type of molecule, such as carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, etc.
Schematic Organization of LO Levels
Elementary Particles > Atoms > Simple Molecules > Complex Molecules > Cellular Organelles > Cells (Colony – Unicellular LO) > Tissues > Organs > Systems > Pluricellular LO > Individual > Population > Community > Biosphere
Bioelements
Bioelements are chemical elements that are part of living matter. The most abundant bioelements in LOs are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus.
Biomolecules and Their Types
Bioelements combine, originating biomolecules, which can be organic or inorganic.
- Inorganic: (water, mineral salts) Small in size, formed by few atoms, they have little energy, although they are a major part of the LO’s body, they are predominantly in the physical environment.
- Organic: (Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids) They are structurally very complicated macromolecules, considered exclusive to LOs, and very rich in energy.
Characteristics of Water
- It is the most abundant of all biomolecules, between 50% and 95% of the weight of any living organism.
- Water is vitally important because it is a liquid.
- Water helps regulate body temperature.
- Water is a good solvent for a number of reasons: it directly participates in chemical reactions (photosynthesis, hydrolysis). It intervenes in the digestive processes of animals. It is the vehicle for the excretion of waste substances through urine or sweat.
- Water is necessary for reproduction.
Characteristics of Organic and Inorganic Matter
Definitions
- Biosphere: Set of all the communities of the whole Earth.
- Unicellular Organisms: Individuals constituted by a single cell, capable of developing all vital functions.
- Pluricellular Organisms: Live with others of the same species in a population, sharing territory with populations of different species.
- Tissue: Set of cells of the same type that have come together to perform a common function.
- Organ: Formation of different tissues with a more complex structure.
- System: Set of organs that perform the same function.
What are Organic Biomolecules?
They are exclusive to living organisms, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Main Function of Carbohydrates
To provide energy: Cellular respiration releases the energy contained in carbohydrates.
Functions of Proteins
- Immunological
- Transport
- Structural
- Contractile
- Controllers of chemical reactions
- Hormonal
Properties of Lipids
They dissolve poorly in water, but very well in organic solvents like benzene, alcohol, or gasoline. They conduct heat poorly, and their combustion gives off a large quantity of energy.
Related Terms
- Carbohydrates: Glucose, sucrose, starch, and cellulose.
- Lipids: Fats, oil, cholesterol, waxes, and vitamins.
- Proteins: Insulin, collagen, myosin, and hemoglobin.
- Nucleic Acids: DNA, RNA.
What are the Vital Functions?
Nutrition, relationships, and reproduction.
Autotroph / Heterotroph
Autotroph: An organism that makes its own food. It manufactures organic matter rich in energy. In plants, algae, and some bacteria, this is called photosynthesis.
Types of Reproduction
- Asexual: When the new organism comes from a single cell or a fragment of a single individual.
- Sexual: When it involves two reproductive cells, called “gametes”, which join through fertilization, originating the zygote, the first cell of the new being.