Functions of life in unicellular organisms
Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersDefine a unicellular organism.
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 12 Flashcards — Functions of life in unicellular organisms
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
Define a unicellular organism.
Answer
A living organism whose **whole body is a single cell**.
Question
What is a 'function of life'?
Answer
A **life process every living organism must carry out** to stay alive (e.g. nutrition, response, reproduction).
Question
List the seven functions of life.
Answer
**Nutrition, metabolism, growth, response, excretion, homeostasis, reproduction.**
Question
Why must a single cell perform all functions of life?
Answer
It has **no tissues or organs** to share the work — the **one cell** must do everything itself.
Question
Which function does a food vacuole show?
Answer
**Nutrition** — taking in nutrients/food.
Question
Which function does a contractile vacuole show?
Answer
**Homeostasis** — it pumps out excess water to keep the internal water balance stable.
Question
Why is a contractile vacuole NOT excretion?
Answer
The water it removes entered by **osmosis** and is **not a metabolic waste** — excretion removes metabolic waste like CO₂.
Question
Which function is shown by releasing CO₂?
Answer
**Excretion** — removing a waste product of metabolism.
Question
Which function is shown by moving toward food?
Answer
**Response** — reacting to a stimulus in the surroundings.
Question
Define binary fission.
Answer
Reproduction in which **one cell divides into two identical cells**.
Question
Which function is shown when a cell divides into two?
Answer
**Reproduction** (by binary fission).
Question
Name two examples of unicellular organisms.
Answer
Any two of: **Paramecium, Amoeba, Euglena, Chlamydomonas, bacteria.**
Read the notes
Full study notes for Functions of life in unicellular organisms
Topic 1.6 hub
Diversity of organisms
More from Topic 1.6
All flashcards in this topic
Biology exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free