Question

What are the basic principles of life?

Answer 1

The basic principles of life-

Cell Theory: According to cell theory, all living things are made of cells, and living cells come only from other living cells. Each living thing begins life as a single cell. Some living things, including bacteria, remain single-celled. Other living things, including plants and animals, grow and develop into many cells. Your own body is made up of an amazing 100 trillion cells. But even you — like all other living things — began life as a single cell.

Gene Theory: Gene theory is the idea that the characteristics of living things are controlled by genes, which are passed from parents to their offspring. Genes are located on larger structures called chromosomes. Chromosomes are found inside every cell, and they consist of molecules of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Those molecules of DNA are encoded with instructions that "tell" cells how to behave.

Homeostasis: Homeostasis, or the condition in which a system is maintained in a more-or-less steady state, is a characteristic of individual living things, like the human ability to sweat. Homeostasis also applies to the entire biosphere, wherever life is found on Earth. Consider the concentration of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere. Oxygen makes up 21 percent of the atmosphere, and this concentration is fairly constant. What maintains this homeostasis in the atmosphere? The answer is living things.

Most living things need oxygen to survive, so they remove oxygen from the air. On the other hand, many living things, including plants, give off oxygen when they convert carbon dioxide and water to food in the process of photosynthesis. These two processes balance out so the air maintains a constant level of oxygen. 

Evolution: Evolution is a change in the characteristics of populations of living things over time. Evolution can occur by a process called natural selection, which results from random genetic mutations in a population. If these mutations lead to changes that allow the living things to better survive, then their chances of surviving and reproducing in a given environment increase. They will then pass more genes to the next generation. Over many generations, this can lead to major changes in the characteristics of those living things. Evolution explains how living things are changing today, as well as how modern living things descended from ancient life forms that no longer exist on Earth.

Answer 2

The basic principles of life are as follows: 

1. Metabolism: Metabolism is breaking of molecules (catabolism) and making of new molecules (anabolism). An organism performs metabolism in order to obtain energy and various chemical molecules essential for survival. 

2. Growth and development: Organisms tend to grow and develop in a wellorchestrated process from birth onwards.

3.Ageing: It is the process during which molecules, organs and systems begin to lose their effective working and become old.

4. Reproduction: For continuity of race (species), organisms reproduce (asexually or sexually) to produce young ones like themselves. However, mules and worker bees do not reproduce, yet are living. 

5. Death: As the body loses its capacity to perform metabolism, an organism dies. 

6. Responsiveness: Living organisms respond to thermal, chemical or biological changes in their surroundings.