Life Processes in animals
Animal form & functions > Life Processes
Life Processes are common to living things
Biologists study living organisms and their relationship to the environment. They perform research to gain a better understanding of fundamental life processes or apply that understanding to developing new products or processes. All living organisms are composed of units called cells. The simplest organisms are made from single cells but more complex plants and animals, are multicellular, composed of millions of cells.
In a multicellular organism there are many different types of cells, with different structures. They are specialized so that they can carry out particular functions in the animal or plant. Despite all the differences, there are basic features that are same in all cells.
There are eight life processes which are common to most living things.
- require nutrition – either they make their own food, as in plants, or eat other organisms, as animals do.
- excrete – get rid of toxic waste products.
- move – by the action of muscles in animals.
- grow and develop – increase in size and mass, using materials from their food.
- respire – get energy from their food.
- respond to stimuli – are sensitive to changes in their surroundings.
- reproduce – produce offspring.
- control – their internal conditions.