explain the characteristics of living things.

The various characteristics of living things are:

•   All living things need food   for growth and development. It also gives them energy for sustaining life processes. For example, plants manufacture their own food by the process of photosynthesis. Animals, on the other hand, depend on plants and other animals for their food.

• All living things grow . Growth can be easily observed in all plants and animals.

•   All living things respire . Respiration is a process that includes breathing. The movement of air in and out of the body and vice-versa is known as breathing.

For example, animals such as earthworms breathe through their skin; fishes use gills for breathing and plants exchange gases through tiny pores called stomata, which are present mainly on the surface of leaves.

•   All living organisms respond to stimuli . For example, animals such as cockroaches hide as soon as the light is switched on. Plants such as   Mimosa   pudica   (touch-me-not) close their leaves when touched.

•   All living organisms excrete. A part of the food we eat is utilized by the body, while the rest is removed from the body through the process of excretion.

•   All living organisms reproduce . Some animals produce eggs, while others give birth to young ones. Plants, on the other hand, reproduce by producing spores or seeds.