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Chapter 1 Lesson 1
What is life?
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cell | The basic unit of structure and function in a living thing |
| Organism | A living thing |
| Unicellular | Single-celled organisms |
| Multicellular | Organisms composed of many cells |
| Metabolism | The combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials |
| Stimulus | A change in an organism's surroundings that causes an organism to react |
| Response | An action or a change in behavior |
| Development | The process of change that occurs during an organism's life, producing a more complex organism |
| Asexual reproduction | Involves only one parent and produces offspring identical to the parent |
| Sexual reproduction | Involves two parents and combines their genetic material to produce a new organism that differs from both parents |
| Spontaneous generation | The mistaken idea that living things can arise from nonliving sources |
| Controlled experiment | A scientist carries out a series of tests that are identical in every respect except for one factor |
| Autotroph | An organism that makes its own food |
| Heterotroph | An organism that cannot make its own food |
| Homeostasis | The maintenance of stable internal conditions |