Characteristics of Living Organisms

This lesson covers:

  1. Which features all living organisms have in common, namely:
  2. MRS GREN: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition
  3. Why viruses are not classed as living organisms

You can remember the set of features that all organisms have in common using the acronym MRS GREN:


  1. M
  2. Respiration
  3. S
  4. G
  5. R
  6. E
  7. N
ovement
ensitivity
rowth
eproduction
xcretion
utrition

0

/

6

Illustration of a seedling growing under the sun.

What does growth refer to?

Respond to the surroundings 

Production of new organisms 

Increase in cell size, or number of cells 

Taking in of food

0

/

1

Which feature of living organisms does 'production of new organisms' refer to?

Reproduction 

Nutrition

Sensitivity 

Growth

0

/

1

What does excretion refer to?

Respond to the surroundings

Taking in of food

Removal of metabolic waste

Release of energy in cells

0

/

1

Illustration of a cow eating grass, representing the intake of food in living organisms.

Which feature of living organisms does 'taking in of food' refer to?

Respiration

Nutrition

Sensitivity 

Excretion

0

/

1

Which of the following are waste products that an animal would need to remove from the body?

(Select all that apply)

Carbon dioxide 

Insulin

Glucose 

Urea

0

/

2

Which of the following does not count as a living organism? 

Viruses 

Bacteria 

Protoctists 

0

/

1