Lesson 1: What Is Life?

Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes from two parents, typically a male and a female, to produce offspring. It requires the involvement of both sexes and the combination of genetic material from both parents. Therefore, the statement "Sexual reproduction involves only one parent" is false.

Living things and organisms are synonymous terms used to describe entities that possess the characteristics of life, such as the ability to grow, reproduce, and respond to stimuli. Therefore, it is correct to say that another name for living things is organisms.

The bird fluffing its feathers to trap body heat is an example of homeostasis. Homeostasis refers to the ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in the external environment. In this case, the bird is regulating its body temperature by adjusting its feathers to retain heat and prevent heat loss. This helps the bird to survive and stay warm during the winter months.

In sexual reproduction, offspring are different from the parent because they inherit a unique combination of genes from both parents. This genetic variation is a result of the process of meiosis, where the genetic material is shuffled and recombined during the formation of gametes. This variability is important for the survival and adaptation of species, as it allows for the potential emergence of advantageous traits and the ability to respond to changing environments.

Metabolism is the process by which organisms break down and build up materials. It involves various chemical reactions that occur within cells to convert nutrients into energy and essential molecules needed for growth, repair, and maintenance of the body. Therefore, the statement "Organisms break down and build up materials in a process called metabolism" is true.

Green plants are multicellular organisms that are capable of producing their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They contain chlorophyll, which gives them their green color and allows them to convert sunlight into energy. As autotrophs, they do not rely on consuming other organisms for nutrition. The term "multicellular autotrophs" accurately describes green plants as they are made up of multiple cells and can produce their own food.

The manipulated variable is the one factor that a scientist intentionally changes or manipulates in an experiment. This variable is deliberately altered to observe its effect on the responding variable, which is the outcome or result of the experiment. The other variables in the experiment, such as the controlled variables, are kept constant to ensure that any changes in the responding variable can be attributed solely to the manipulated variable.

Bacteria are actually unicellular organisms, not multicellular. They are microscopic in size and consist of a single cell. This allows them to carry out all necessary functions for survival and reproduction within a single cell. Therefore, the statement that bacteria are multicellular organisms is false.

Minerals are inorganic substances that are not considered chemicals of life. While water, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates are all essential components of living organisms, minerals are not directly involved in the biochemical processes of life. They are important for various bodily functions, but they are not considered chemicals of life in the same way that the other options are.

The statement is false because the process of change during an organism's life that results in a more complex growth is actually called development, not growth. Growth refers to an increase in size or mass of an organism, while development refers to the changes in form, structure, and function that occur as an organism matures.