We can find many things around us, from mountains and oceans to plants and animals. The earth in which we live is made up of several things. These “things” can be categorized into two different types – Living and Non-living Things.
- All living things breathe, eat, grow, move, reproduce and have senses.
- Non-living things do not eat, grow, breathe, move and reproduce. They do not have senses.
Living things have “life,” though some might not show its evident signs. For instance, a tree would probably not react the same way a human would. It would not react when we hit it, and it might not be able to walk around. Though the signs of life displayed by them are not very observable, it does not make them non-living.
Let us have a detailed look at the important characteristics of living and non-living things and the difference between the two.
Living things
Living things exist and are alive and are made of microscopic structures called cells. They grow and exhibit movement or locomotion. They experience metabolism, which includes anabolic and catabolic reactions.
Living things are capable of producing a new life which is of their own kind through the process of reproduction. Living things have a particular life span and are not immortal.
Cellular Respiration enables living organisms to acquire energy which is used by cells to perform their functions. They digest food for energy and also excrete waste from the body. Their life cycle can be summarised as follows – birth, growth, reproduction and death.
Examples of living things are animals, birds, insects, and human beings.
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