Characteristics of Living Things
All living things share seven key characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things: movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, and nutrition.
What You Need to Know
Key Concept Diagram
The acronym MRSGREN helps remember the 7 characteristics: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition
All living things need energy from nutrition (food) to carry out life processes
Reproduction allows living things to produce offspring and continue their species
Living things respond to stimuli in their environment (sensitivity), such as plants growing toward light
Key Vocabulary
Organism
Any living thing, including plants, animals, fungi, and microscopic life
Respiration
The process of releasing energy from food; all living things respire
Reproduction
The production of offspring so that a species can continue
Stimulus
A change in the environment that an organism detects and responds to (plural: stimuli)
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
Which acronym helps you remember the 7 characteristics of living things?
Question 2
A plant grows toward a light source. Which characteristic of living things does this show?
Question 3
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living things?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●The acronym MRSGREN helps remember the 7 characteristics: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition
- ●All living things need energy from nutrition (food) to carry out life processes
- ●Reproduction allows living things to produce offspring and continue their species
- ●Living things respond to stimuli in their environment (sensitivity), such as plants growing toward light