Differences between plants and animals
Plants Animals
All green plants feed on their own food prepared by the process of photosynthesis. Animals depends on green plants for food
Plants can move only parts of their body Animals can move part or their whole body from one place to another
Plants show indefinite growth Animals show definite growth
Plants react slowly to external stimuli Animals react quickly to stimuli
They posses no special sense organ They posses special organs
Plants cells have cellulose cell wall Animal cells do not have cell wall
Plant cell have large permanent vacuole Animal cell contain small temporary vacuole
Carbohydrates are generally stored as starch Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen
During the day, plants take in carbon di- oxide and give out oxygen Animals respire day and night by taking oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide
Growth is apical, intercalary or latera Growth is diffused

Living things and non-living things

Living things are things that are alive and perform the basic life processes. The processes which maintain body functions and are necessary for survival are called life processes.

Its include feeding, movement, respiration, irritability, nutrition, excretion, reproduction and growth. They are further defined as follows:

  1. Movement --- Changing the position of parts of the organism or the whole organism.

  2. Respiration --- a chemical process that takes place in every living cell where energy is released from food substances with or without the use of oxygen.

  3. Irritability --- the ability of an organism to respond to changes in their environment. Changes sensed include temperature, sound, chemical presence and many others depending on the organism.

  4. Nutrition --- This is the process of obtaining and utilizing food for growth and de- velopment i.e. turning food into energy/the process of feeding.

  5. Excretion --- is the removal of waste metabolic products from the cell or body of an organism.

  6. Reproduction --- is the ability of a living organism to produce offspring of their own kind. All living things reproduce in order to continue the species.

  7. Growth --- is the irreversible increase in size and weight due to addition of protoplasm.

  8. Competition --- the ability of organisms to struggle for all necessity of life to survive in their environment.

  9. Adaptation --- ability of organisms to adjust to changes in the environment for survival.

  10. Life span or death --- all living organisms have definite period of existence and all living organisms die.

The first seven (7) can be remembered using the Mnemonic "MR" NIGER"

Difference between Living and Non-living Things
Living things Non-living things
Living things can move part or their whole body from one place to another Cannot move on their own
Living things can respire Non-living things cannot respire
Respond to stimuli Do not respond to stimuli
Feed Do not feed
Excrete Do not excrete
Reproduce Do not reproduce
Living things grow Do not grow

Living things exhibit life while non-living things does not. If living things can grow, they most absolutely have the capacity to die; non-living things do not die because they are not alive to begin with.

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