Tutor Bright Olusegun

Subject: Biology

Class: SS1

First Term

Topic: Characteristics of Living Things
Using the mnemonics "MR NIGER CAD"

Movement: All living organisms have internal movement, i.e; they have the ability to move substances from one part of their body to another. Some living organisms show external movement as well, i.e; they can move from one place to another by walking, flying or swimming.

Respiration: All living things exchange gases with their environment. They breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

Nutrition/Feeding: This is the ability of living organisms to feed and it enables them to carry out life processes such as growth, reproduction, etc.

Irritability/Sensitivity: This is the ability of organisms to respond to stimuli such as; heat, light, pain, sound and chemical substances.

Growth: Growth is the permanent increase in the size of an organism. When living things feed, they gain energy and some of this energy is used in growth.

Excretion: This is the removal of poisonous metabolic waste products from the body or cells of living organisms.

Reproduction: This is the ability of a living thing to give birth to young ones or offsprings.

Competition: This is when organisms compete for the resources they need to survive - air, food, water and space.

Adaptation: This is the way living organisms get used to their various environments in a way that they can be comfortable in order to survive.

Death/Life Span: All living organisms must die because they have a definite and limited period of existence.