Living vs Non-living Things

What Are Living Things?

Living things are organisms that exhibit the characteristics of life. They can grow, reproduce, respond to stimuli, and adapt to their environment. Examples include:

• Humans
• Animals (e.g., dogs, cats)
• Plants (e.g., trees, flowers)
• Microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi)

Characteristics of Living Things

• Growth: Increase in size and number of cells.
• Reproduction: Ability to produce offspring.
• Response to Stimuli: Reacting to changes in the environment.
• Metabolism: Chemical processes that occur within a living organism.
• Adaptation: Ability to adjust to environmental changes.
• Homeostasis: Maintaining a stable internal environment.

What Are Non-living Things?

Non-living things do not exhibit the characteristics of life. They do not grow, reproduce, or respond to stimuli. Examples include:

• Rocks
• Water
• Air
• Furniture

Differences Between Living and Non-living Things

Characteristic	Living Things	Non-living Things
Growth	Grow and develop	Do not grow
Reproduction	Can reproduce	Cannot reproduce
Response to Stimuli	Respond to stimuli	Do not respond
Metabolism	Have metabolic processes	No metabolism
Adaptation	Adapt to environment	Do not adapt
Homeostasis	Maintain homeostasis	No homeostasis