Living and non-living things game online - Classification of living and nonliving things.
At first glance, differentiating between what kind of things are alive and which aren’t seems fairly easy. You can pick up a rock and confidently say that it’s a non-living thing, then point to your favourite pet and correctly call it a living thing. An animal moves. A rock doesn’t. But is a tree alive? Are clouds alive? How exactly can we define whether a thing is living or not? All life possesses the following seven characteristics β they are made of one or more cells organized into more complex structures; they have the ability to grow and develop; they can maintain homeostasis; they can process energy; they are able respond to stimuli; they can reproduce; and they can metabolize.
By sticking to these criteria, you can quickly identify which things are actually alive, and which aren’t. Non-living things don’t meet one, if not all, of these characteristics. Clouds are not composed of cells. Rocks can’t produce offspring. And if a tree dies, it can no longer process energy or respond to the changing of the seasons. Living things grow because their cells can divide. They develop because some cells can also mature, such as how a stem cell can become a nerve cell or a red blood cell. Some non-living things can “grow,” like when you mash clay together to make a bigger clump of clay, but since this process doesn’t involve cells, it doesn’t count. Cells can only work in favourable environments, though, and factors like extreme heat or cold can cause them to stop working or die. But living things can adapt to maintain conditions in their body that keep cells alive and well. This ability β homeostasis β goes a long way in helping people who live near the Arctic produce more body heat and keep warm. This page will provide you with clear and concise criteria for distinguishing between living and non-living things.