Summary
A living thing is anything that is born, feeds, grows, interacts with its surroundings, reproduces and dies. It carries out the three life processes —nutrition, interaction and reproduction— and is made of cells, which is the big difference from non-living matter, like a stone or water.
To organise the huge variety of living things, they are classified into five kingdoms: animals, plants, fungi, protists and monerans (the bacteria). Animals in turn split into vertebrates —with a backbone: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish— and invertebrates —without one: insects, molluscs…—. By how they feed, some make their own food, like plants through photosynthesis, and others take it from outside, like animals.
Key points
- A living thing is born, feeds, interacts, reproduces and dies.
- Three life processes: nutrition, interaction and reproduction.
- They are all made of cells (unlike non-living matter).
- Five kingdoms: animals, plants, fungi, protists and monerans (bacteria).
- Vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish) and invertebrates.
- Plants make their own food (photosynthesis); animals take it from outside.
- Reproduction can be sexual (two parents) or asexual (one).