Features of Life > Criteria of Life > Page 5
Activities of Life; Growth
Growth is the irreversible increase
in size or volume. Each organism has a finite size that it can achieve.
The size of single celled organisms is limited by movement of molecules
into and within a cell. Multicellular organisms can become quite large
if they have a system to transport nutrients throughout the body. For
terrestrial organisms, a means of support is also required to achieve
a maximal size. |
Note that growth requires energy. It cannot occur without metabolism.
As we'll see, all the activities of life are interrelated to one another. |