Free characteristics of living things worksheet middle school ... - Free Printable

Let's solve each part of this worksheet step by step and explain the reasoning behind each answer.

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1. Match the following life processes with the correct definition.

We are given a list of life processes (A–G) and definitions. We need to match them correctly.

#### Process Definitions:

- A. Excretion → The removal of metabolic waste from the body.
✔ *This is correct.* Excretion removes waste like urine, CO₂, etc.

- B. Growth → The increase in body mass.
✔ *Correct.* Growth refers to an increase in size or mass over time.

- C. Irritability → The ability of an organism to respond to stimuli.
✔ *Correct.* This is also called responsiveness.

- D. Movement → The ability of an organism to move body parts.
✔ *Correct.* Includes voluntary and involuntary movements.

- E. Nutrition → The process of consuming food nutrients.
✔ *Correct.* Involves taking in food for energy and growth.

- F. Reproduction → The process by which new organisms are produced.
✔ *Correct.* Creates offspring.

- G. Respiration → The process by which food is oxidized to make energy.
✔ *Correct.* Cellular respiration breaks down glucose to produce ATP.

Now, let’s match the definitions to the processes:

| Definition | Correct Process |
|----------|------------------|
| The removal of metabolic waste from the body. | A. Excretion |
| The process of consuming food nutrients | E. Nutrition |
| The process by which new organisms is produced. | F. Reproduction |
| The ability of an organism to respond to stimuli. | C. Irritability |
| The process by which food is oxidized to make energy. | G. Respiration |
| The ability of an organism to move body parts. | D. Movement |
| The increase in body mass. | B. Growth |

✔ Answer Key:
- A. Excretion → The removal of metabolic waste from the body.
- B. Growth → The increase in body mass.
- C. Irritability → The ability of an organism to respond to stimuli.
- D. Movement → The ability of an organism to move body parts.
- E. Nutrition → The process of consuming food nutrients.
- F. Reproduction → The process by which new organisms is produced.
- G. Respiration → The process by which food is oxidized to make energy.

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2. Place a tick (√) in the space under plants if the statement is correct for plants, or animal if it applies to animals.

Let’s analyze each row:

| Characteristic | Plants | Animals |
|----------------|--------|---------|
| Can naturally reproduce both sexually and asexually | ✔ | ✔ |
| Excrete carbon dioxide as a waste product | ✔ | ✔ |
| Excretes oxygen as a waste product | ✔ | ✘ |
| Grows towards sunlight | ✔ | ✘ |
| Produce their food by the process of photosynthesis | ✔ | ✘ |

#### Explanation:

- Reproduction: Both plants and animals can reproduce sexually and asexually (e.g., plants via runners or bulbs; animals via budding in some species).
- Excrete CO₂: Both do during respiration.
- Excrete oxygen: Only plants do this during photosynthesis (as a byproduct). Animals don’t produce oxygen.
- Grow towards sunlight: This is phototropism, found in plants. Animals don’t grow toward light.
- Photosynthesis: Only plants (and some other organisms like algae) perform this.

✔ Final Table:

| Characteristic | Plants | Animals |
|----------------|--------|---------|
| Can naturally reproduce both sexually and asexually | √ | √ |
| Excrete carbon dioxide as a waste product | √ | √ |
| Excretes oxygen as a waste product | √ | |
| Grows towards sunlight | √ | |
| Produce their food by the process of photosynthesis | √ | |

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3. Write the correct process of life next to each sentence.

Let’s go one by one:

a. Blinking when someone puts their hand close to your eyes.
→ Irritability (response to stimulus – touch/near object)

b. Carrying out the process of photosynthesis.
→ Nutrition (plants make their own food – autotrophic nutrition)

c. Consuming a slice of bread.
→ Nutrition (taking in food)

d. Increase in the amount of body mass.
→ Growth

e. Increase in the number of cold virus in the body.
→ Reproduction (viruses replicate inside host cells)

f. Getting rid of urine.
→ Excretion (removal of metabolic waste)

g. Multiplying of mold on a piece of bread.
→ Reproduction (mold grows and spreads spores)

h. Pulling your hand away from a hot object.
→ Irritability (response to heat stimulus)

i. Sweating during extremely strenuous activities.
→ Excretion (sweat removes excess water, salts, and small amounts of urea)

j. The shoot of a plant bending toward the light.
→ Irritability (response to light – phototropism)

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✔ Final Answers for Question 3:

a. Irritability
b. Nutrition
c. Nutrition
d. Growth
e. Reproduction
f. Excretion
g. Reproduction
h. Irritability
i. Excretion
j. Irritability

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🔍 Summary of Concepts:

- Life processes include: Nutrition, Respiration, Excretion, Response (Irritability), Movement, Growth, and Reproduction.
- Plants are autotrophs (make their own food), show phototropism, release O₂, but don't move like animals.
- Animals are heterotrophs, consume food, move actively, excrete CO₂ and nitrogenous wastes.

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