1. What are the seven vital functions of life?
(1) reproduction
(2) nutrition
(3) respiration
(4) growth
(5) excretion
(6) irritability
(7) movement
Note: some organisms do not have all of the above vital functions.
2. What is the meaning of reproduction?
The process of producing the next generation.
3. What is nutrition?
The process of obtaining food.
4. What is the definition of food?
Substances that can perform the following functions to certain organisms, including
(1) providing energy
(2) act as material for growth
(3) support activities of the body, maintain health
Note: The same substance can be food for one organism but not for another. For example, paper is a food for Fungi which is a saprophyte but not a food for human
because human lack the enzyme to speed up the digestion of cellulose.
5. What is respiration?
The process of which food is broken down to produce energy in body cells.
6. What is the definition of growth?
The process of which an organism increase in size and complexity.
7. What is the difference between the growth of animals and that of plants?
Animals will stop growing once they get matured. Plants will grow continuously.
8. What is excretion?
Excretion is the process of which metabolic wastes are removed.
9. What are metabolic wastes?
It is the useless or harmful substances produced from metabolism inside the body cells, where metabolism means all the chemical reaction inside body cells.
10. What is irritability?
It is the ability of an organism to respond to stimuli.
11. What is stimuli?
A change in environment.
12. What is movement?
It is the ability of an organism to move freely from place to place or move certain part of its body.
13. What are the procedures included in the scientific method?
(1) observation
(2) make questions
(3) propose hypothesis
(4) make predicton
(5) do experiment involving one changing variable only
(6) make conclusion
14. What is the independent variable in an experiment?
It is the variable that is controlled (manipulated) or changed by the person who does the experiment.
15. What is the dependent variable in an experiment?
It is the variable that changes according to the change in the independent variable. The person who does this experiment will have to observe or measure this variable.
16. What is controlled variables in an experiment?
The variables that should be kept unchanged throughout the experiment.
17. What is the different between a control group (control) from an experiment group in an experiment?
The control group is identical to the experiment group except that the factor under investigation is absent.
18. What is the aim of setting up a control in an experiment?
It aims to ensure the result of the experiment is only due to that factor.