WHY IS A SIMPLE DEFINITION OF LIFE DIFFICULT TO MAKE? ?

Question

I NEED THE ANSWER FAST FOR BIO CLASS

Answer 1

Life is incredibly complex and diverse; it would therefore require a complex and diverse definition.

Answer 2

Life (noun)- The condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally.

-OR-

If you don't like that definition, then here is some more information on the characteristics of that something has to have to be considered living. You can put it together and make your own simple definition. I hope this helps.

   1. Homeostasis: Regulation of the internal environment to maintain a constant state; for example, sweating to reduce temperature.

   2. Organization: Being composed of one or more cells, which are the basic units of life.

   3. Metabolism: Consumption of energy by converting nonliving material into cellular components (anabolism) and decomposing organic matter (metabolism). Living things require energy to maintain internal organization (homeostasis) and to produce the other phenomena associated with life.

   4. Growth: Maintenance of a higher rate of synthesis than metabolism. A growing organism increases in size in all of its parts, rather than simply accumulating matter. The particular species begins to multiply and expand as the evolution continues to flourish.

   5. Adaptation: The ability to change over a period of time in response to the environment. This ability is fundamental to the process of evolution and is determined by the organism's heredity as well as the composition of metabolized substances, and external factors present.

   6. Response to stimuli: A response can take many forms, from the contraction of a unicellular organism when touched to complex reactions involving all the senses of higher animals. A response is often expressed by motion, for example, the leaves of a plant turning toward the sun or an animal chasing its prey.

   7. Reproduction: The ability to produce new organisms. Reproduction can be the division of one cell to form two new cells. Usually the term is applied to the production of a new individual (either asexually, from a single parent organism, or sexually, from at least two differing parent organisms), although strictly speaking it also describes the production of new cells in the process of growth.