Living Things and Non-living Things: Practice Questions

A student wants to keep a small potted plant alive in a classroom. Which of the following must the student provide for the plant to stay healthy?

Both a mother cat having kittens and a bean plant producing seeds are examples of which characteristic of living things?

Consider the following organisms: a fern, an earthworm, a pine tree, and a goldfish. How can these living things be scientifically classified based on their fundamental biological characteristics?

Which of the following items requires air and water to survive?

Which of the following is a characteristic that distinguishes a living thing from a non-living thing?

State one difference between a living thing and a non-living thing.

A river can move across land and increase in size after heavy rain. Explain why a river is still considered a non-living thing despite showing these behaviors.

A person starts to shiver when they step out into the cold air. Which characteristic of living things does this reaction represent?

A student finds the following items: Caterpillar, Bicycle, Mango tree, and Television.

(a) Sort these four items into the correct groups below:
Living things: __________
Non-living things: __________
(b) All living things have basic needs. Name two survival needs of the Caterpillar.
(c) The Television can make sounds and show moving pictures, but it is a non-living thing. State one characteristic of living things that it lacks.
(d) What would happen to the Caterpillar if it were placed in a box with no air? Give a reason for your answer.

A student sets up an experiment with two glass jars. Jar A contains a plastic toy car, and Jar B contains a small garden snail. The student provides the snail with fresh leaves and ensures there is moisture and air inside the jar.

(a) Over two weeks, the snail in Jar B increases in size, while the toy car in Jar A remains exactly the same. Which characteristic of living things is shown by the snail?
(b) Name two basic needs that the student is providing in Jar B to keep the snail alive.
(c) When the student gently taps the snail's shell, the snail quickly pulls its body inside. Identify the characteristic of living things demonstrated by this reaction.
(d) Later, the student finds tiny snail eggs in Jar B. How does the ability to produce these eggs distinguish the snail as a living thing compared to the toy car in Jar A?