Living things are living organisms that exhibit the characteristics of life. They are able to grow, reproduce, maintain homeostasis, respond to stimuli, adapt to their environment, and evolve. Nonliving things, on the other hand, are objects or substances that do not possess the characteristics of life. They do not grow, reproduce, maintain homeostasis, or respond to stimuli.
One of the main differences between living and nonliving things is that living things are made up of cells, which are the basic unit of life. Cells are able to carry out all the functions necessary for life, such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction. Nonliving things, on the other hand, do not have cells and are not composed of the building blocks of life.
Another key difference between living and nonliving things is that living things are able to maintain homeostasis, which is the ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in the external environment. For example, when the body gets too hot, it sweats to cool itself down. When it gets too cold, it shivers to generate heat. Nonliving things do not have the ability to maintain homeostasis and are affected by changes in their environment.
Living things are also able to respond to stimuli, or changes in their environment. They can detect and respond to stimuli through the use of specialized cells called receptors. Nonliving things do not have receptors and are unable to detect or respond to stimuli.
Another important characteristic of living things is their ability to grow and develop. Living things grow and change over time, going through a series of stages from birth to adulthood. Nonliving things do not grow or change over time.
Living things also have the ability to adapt to their environment and evolve over time. They can develop new traits or characteristics that help them survive and thrive in their environment. Nonliving things do not have the ability to adapt or evolve.
In summary, living things are distinguished from nonliving things by their ability to grow, reproduce, maintain homeostasis, respond to stimuli, adapt to their environment, and evolve. These characteristics are what make living things unique and distinguish them from nonliving things.