IGCSE Science/Section 1: The nature and variety of living organisms/Characteristics of living organisms

An organism is an individual animal, plant or other living thing. All organisms share some characteristics:


 * they move
 * they respire
 * they respond to their surroundings
 * they control their internal conditions
 * they grow and develop
 * they reproduce
 * they excrete their waste
 * they require nutrition

You can remember these by using the mneomic MRS C GREN:
 * Move
 * Respire
 * Sense


 * Control


 * Grow
 * Rreproduce
 * Excrete
 * Nutrition