🌿 Summary: Characteristics of Living Organisms

Living organisms share seven key characteristics, often remembered as MRS GREN:

✍️ Exam Tips for Characteristics of Living Organisms

Use MRS GREN to remember the seven characteristics.
Write short, clear definitions (one sentence each).
Example: Respiration is the chemical process of releasing energy from food.
Common exam confusions:
Excretion ≠ Egestion. Excretion is waste from cells (like CO₂), while egestion is undigested food.
Plants also show movement and sensitivity (e.g., phototropism, geotropism).
Past paper trends:
Match processes to examples (e.g., tail detachment = sensitivity).
Identify processes from definitions.
Key exam questions:
Which process occurs in all organisms? → Respiration.
Which process provides raw materials for growth and repair? → Nutrition.
Final tip:
Before exams, write down the seven characteristics and a one-line definition for each.
Practise 5-10 MCQs to check your understanding.