Friday, August 19, 2011

LIFE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS

                       Life  ; Living organisms  have life  and that  is why  they are distinct from non-living objects .But a very pertinent  question arises as what is life ? The other  question may be asked  such as what is  shape of life  and  how has it come into existence ?  Honestly, no categorical answer  is available  to these questions .However , some speculations or  hypothesis  are available  in this  context .Some  believe that life is  a power state of the body , others have taken life as  steady and dynamic  state of the living matter ,i.e.,  the protoplasm  and certain  others have considered  it to be the total  sum of chemical reactions taking  place in the body of the living  organism.But many others  have explained the life as the body's  ability   to utilize and convert  energy .These definations  suggest that  the life is an abstract phenomenon.                                                                                   Characteristics of Living Objects                                                                                       It  is certainly difficult to define life but  every object possessing life  shows certain activities  which are attributes  of life .These are common to all living objects or living organisms  and therefore are refered as  to  characteristics of life or  life forms .On the basis of these  characteristics , the living objects  can be easilly  distinguished  from the non-living  ones . These include the following; [1] living objects have definite shape and size  and therefore , every object has  a  distinct appearence  and that is why  one living objects or organism can be ditinguished easiy from another .                                                                                                              [2] Living object are highly  ordered  and possess protoplasm.Body of all living objects  is  composed of living matter  called protoplasm ,whose chemical composition  includes large complex  such as proteins ,carbohydrates, fat, water  and nucleic acid .Such combination of   chemical  is not found  in non-living objects.                                                                                                                                                             [3] Living  objects show cellularity .In every  living object the living matter is  divided into  unit structures  called cell .Body  of some living objects  is made of  only one cell ,whereas  the body of other living objects  is made  of only one cell , whereas  the body  of other  living  object is formed by  more than one cell .On the contrary , the body of  non-living objects  doesnot show cellular  organization .                                                  [4] Livng objects move .Living  objects are able to move their body  part of whole body .Most animals  are able to  move their  whole body  and move from one place to another .The  movement involving change of place  ,is called locomtion.                                                                                                                                     [5] Living  objects  feed  and utilize  food after  procesing .Every living object takes  in food or better say   chemicals. Animals  take food from plants  or other animals  which is feed  on plants .The food  of animals consists of complex organic molecules .In their body ,  the complex molecules are changed  into simpler molecules [digestion] which are absorbed and  again organised   to form complex  molecules  which become part of the protoplasm[assimilation] and also supply  materials for growth ,repair and energy  release .               [6] Living objects grow . Every living objects shows increase in size  and weight . This  phenomenon  is called growth .The growth in organism is caused by a  process  which involves  the intake  of new materials from the outside  and their  subsequent  mixing with the protoplasm  as its part.                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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