Life processes are basic functions performed by living organisms to maintain life. These processes are essential for the survival and proper functioning of organisms. The major life processes include:
Nutrition:
- The process of obtaining and utilizing food for energy, growth, and repair.
- Types:
- Autotrophic Nutrition: Organisms like plants prepare their own food through photosynthesis.
- Heterotrophic Nutrition: Organisms like animals and humans depend on other organisms for food.
Respiration:
- The process of breaking down glucose to release energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).
- Types:
- Aerobic Respiration: Occurs in the presence of oxygen.
- Anaerobic Respiration: Occurs in the absence of oxygen.
Transportation:
- Movement of substances like nutrients, gases, and waste products within an organism.
- In plants: Transport occurs through xylem (water and minerals) and phloem (food).
- In animals: The circulatory system, including the heart and blood, is responsible for transportation.
Excretion:
- The process of removing metabolic waste from the body.
- In plants: Waste is excreted through stomata, bark, or leaves.
- In animals: Organs like kidneys, lungs, and skin play a role in excretion.
Reproduction:
- The biological process by which organisms produce offspring to continue their species.
- Types:
- Asexual Reproduction: Involves a single parent (e.g., binary fission in amoeba).
- Sexual Reproduction: Involves two parents (e.g., humans and flowering plants).
These processes work together to ensure survival, growth, and reproduction in all living organisms.