ESSENTIAL CELL BIOLOGY-TEXT (PB)
ESSENTIAL CELL BIOLOGY-TEXT (PB)
5th Edition
ISBN: 9780393680324
Author: ALBERTS
Publisher: NORTON
bartleby

Concept explainers

Question
Book Icon
Chapter 1, Problem 1Q
Summary Introduction

To allocate: Scores for a person, a vacuum cleaner, and a potato with respect to characteristics used to define living things in a popular biology text.

Introduction: All things in the world are classified under two categories: living and non-living things. All the living things are studied in biology.

Expert Solution & Answer
Check Mark

Explanation of Solution

In order to identify living things, biology books give several characteristics to identify them. Some of the characteristics of living things suggested by biologists are as follows:

  • They are highly organized in comparison to nonliving things.
  • They display homeostasis, which means that they maintain a relatively constant internal environment.
  • They can grow, reproduce, and develop from simple beginnings.
  • They intake matter and energy from the environment and can transform them into other forms of matter and energy.
  • They show response to stimuli.
  • They show adaptation to their environment.

Based on some of these characters, the vacuum cleaner, potato, and humans are assessed as given below:

S. No.CharacteristicsVacuum cleanerPotatoHuman
1.Organization+++
2.Homeostasis+++
3.Reproduction-++
4.Development-++
5.Energy+++
6.Responsiveness+-+
7.Adaptation-++

             + sign indicates fits the life score; – sign indicates does not fit the life score.

The process trying to define things as living or non-living is obscure based on this scoring exercise. Vacuum cleaners are non-living machines that are used to remove dust. They use the matter and energy from the external environment and transform the energy for their work. Vacuum cleaners and old animals are similar in the sense that they cannot reproduce or grow or develop. Potatoes are living things, but they are not responsive to any sort of stimuli. Human beings are living organism and fit all the characteristics of living things. Also, it is a known fact that all the living things are made up of the same elements, compounds, atoms, and molecules from which non-living things are made.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!
Students have asked these similar questions
The Snapdragon is a popular garden flower that comes in a variety of colours, including red, yellow, and orange. The genotypes and associated phenotypes for some of these flowers are as follows: aabb: yellow AABB, AABb, AaBb, and AaBB: red AAbb and Aabb: orange aaBB: yellow aaBb: ? Based on this information, what would the phenotype of a Snapdragon with the genotype aaBb be and why?   Question 21 options:   orange because A is epistatic to B   yellow because A is epistatic to B   red because B is epistatic to A   orange because B is epistatic to A   red because A is epistatic to B   yellow because B is epistatic to A
A sample of blood was taken from the above individual and prepared for haemoglobin analysis. However, when water was added the cells did not lyse and looked normal in size and shape. The technician suspected that they had may have made an error in the protocol – what is the most likely explanation?   The cell membranes are more resistant than normal.   An isotonic solution had been added instead of water.   A solution of 0.1 M NaCl had been added instead of water.   Not enough water had been added to the red blood cell pellet.   The man had sickle-cell anaemia.
A sample of blood was taken from the above individual and prepared for haemoglobin analysis. However, when water was added the cells did not lyse and looked normal in size and shape. The technician suspected that they had may have made an error in the protocol – what is the most likely explanation?   The cell membranes are more resistant than normal.   An isotonic solution had been added instead of water.   A solution of 0.1 M NaCl had been added instead of water.   Not enough water had been added to the red blood cell pellet.   The man had sickle-cell anaemia.
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Biology
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, biology and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Text book image
Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
Biology
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:PEARSON
Text book image
Biology 2e
Biology
ISBN:9781947172517
Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann Clark
Publisher:OpenStax
Text book image
Anatomy & Physiology
Biology
ISBN:9781259398629
Author:McKinley, Michael P., O'loughlin, Valerie Dean, Bidle, Theresa Stouter
Publisher:Mcgraw Hill Education,
Text book image
Molecular Biology of the Cell (Sixth Edition)
Biology
ISBN:9780815344322
Author:Bruce Alberts, Alexander D. Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
Text book image
Laboratory Manual For Human Anatomy & Physiology
Biology
ISBN:9781260159363
Author:Martin, Terry R., Prentice-craver, Cynthia
Publisher:McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.
Text book image
Inquiry Into Life (16th Edition)
Biology
ISBN:9781260231700
Author:Sylvia S. Mader, Michael Windelspecht
Publisher:McGraw Hill Education