Principal Characteristics of Living Things

We can recognize living things because they share the following characteristics:

• They are born. All living things come from other living thing.

• They eat. All living things need food. The type of food may vary.

• They grow. All living things increase in size during their lifetime. Sometimes they change in appearance.

• They react. Living things can perceive what is going on around them, and they react to what they perceive.

• They reproduce. Living things can create offspring similar to themselves.

• They die. At some time, all living things stop functioning and cease to live.