🔹 1.
Movement
All living organisms move in some way. Movement doesn’t always
mean walking or flying — even plants move slowly by growing
towards light (phototropism). Animals use muscles to move, helping
them find food, escape predators, and survive.
👉 Why it matters in exams: Know how movement differs in plants and
animals. Always link it to survival.
🔹 2. Respiration
Respiration is a chemical process that breaks down glucose (or other
food molecules) to release energy. This energy is used for all life
processes — movement, growth, repair, etc. It occurs in every living
cell.
🧪 Key formula (for aerobic respiration):
Glucose + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy
👉 Exam tip: Don’t confuse respiration with breathing — respiration is
cellular, not just lung function.
🔹 3. Sensitivity (Response to stimuli)
Living organisms detect and respond to changes in their
environment. These changes are called stimuli. For example, humans
react to heat by sweating, and animals may run from danger. Plants
grow towards sunlight or their roots grow towards water.
👉 Why important: Sensitivity ensures survival by allowing organisms
to adapt quickly to their environment.
🔹 4. Growth
Growth is a permanent increase in size and mass. It usually happens
due to cell division and increase in cell size. Animals grow until a
certain age, but many plants grow throughout their lives.
👉 Important concept: Growth is measurable (length, mass) and
irreversible.
🔹 5. Reproduction
Reproduction is the process by which organisms produce offspring. It
can be sexual (involving gametes) or asexual (one parent only).
Without reproduction, species would become extinct.
👉 In exams: Be ready to compare sexual vs. asexual reproduction —
especially in microorganisms and plants.
🔹 6. Excretion
Excretion is the removal of waste products of metabolism (like
carbon dioxide or urea). These waste products are toxic and must be
removed to maintain health.
Examples:
Humans excrete CO₂ through lungs
Kidneys remove urea in urine
Plants excrete oxygen during photosynthesis
👉 Don’t confuse with: Egestion (removal of undigested food, not
excretion!)
🔹 7. Nutrition
Nutrition is the intake of food and its use for energy, growth, and
repair.
Animals need to eat other organisms (heterotrophic nutrition).
Plants make their own food via photosynthesis (autotrophic
nutrition).
👉 Photosynthesis equation:
Carbon dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen (in the presence of
sunlight and chlorophyll)
🧠 Summary: MRS GREN
Use this acronym to remember the 7 life processes:
Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Growth
Reproduction
Excretion
Nutrition
🧬 Final Key Concepts:
All living things carry out all 7 life processes. If even one is missing,
the organism is not considered alive.
Viruses are a grey area — they don’t carry out all 7 processes without
a host, so scientists often classify them as non-living.
📘 IGCSE Biology – Section 1.4: The Five Kingdoms of Living Organisms
All living organisms can be grouped into one of five kingdoms based
on their characteristics such as cell structure, type of nutrition, and
method of reproduction. Understanding these kingdoms helps us
classify the enormous variety of life on Earth in a scientific and logical
way.
🔹 Why Classification Matters
Biologists use classification to organize living things into groups that
share common features. This makes it easier to study, understand,
and compare organisms — especially as more species are discovered
every day.
🔬 The Five Kingdoms: Overview
Kingdom Cell Type Number of Cells Nutrition Example
Prokaryotes Prokaryotic Unicellular Various Bacteria
Protoctists Eukaryotic Mostly unicellular Various Amoeba, Algae
Fungi Eukaryotic multicellular Saprotrophic Moulds Mushrooms
Plants Eukaryotic Multicellular Autotrophic (photosynthesis) Trees, Grass
AnimalsEukaryotic Multicellular Heterotrophic Humans,
Insects
🦠 1. Prokaryotes (Bacteria)
Very simple, unicellular organisms with no nucleus.
Genetic material floats freely in the cytoplasm.
Have cell walls, but not made of cellulose.
Can be autotrophic or heterotrophic.
🧪 Example: Lactobacillus, E. coli
👉 Key exam point: Prokaryotes are the only kingdom with no nucleus
(prokaryotic).
🧫 2. Protoctists (Protista)
Mostly unicellular eukaryotes (with a true nucleus).
Some are animal-like (e.g. Amoeba), some plant-like (e.g. Algae).
Live in water, and many can move using cilia, flagella, or
pseudopodia.
Nutrition can be autotrophic or heterotrophic.
🧪 Example: Amoeba, Chlorella
👉 Tricky concept: Protoctists are like a “miscellaneous” group —
anything that doesn’t fit elsewhere in the eukaryotic kingdoms.
🍄 3. Fungi
Mostly multicellular (except yeasts).
Have cell walls made of chitin (not cellulose).
Do not photosynthesize.
Nutrition is saprotrophic — they secrete enzymes to digest food
outside the body, then absorb it.
🧪 Example: Mucor, Mushrooms, Yeast (unicellular)
👉 Common exam question: Know the difference between fungi and
plants — both have cell walls but different material (chitin vs.
cellulose).
🌿 4. Plants
Multicellular, with cell walls made of cellulose.
Contain chloroplasts for photosynthesis.
Store carbohydrates as starch.
Autotrophic – make their own food using sunlight.
🧪 Example: Maize, Ferns, Trees
👉 Exam reminder: You may be asked why plants are important – they
produce oxygen and are the base of most food chains.
🐾 5. Animals
Multicellular eukaryotes.
No cell walls and no chloroplasts.
Heterotrophic – they consume other organisms.
Store carbohydrates as glycogen.
Have nervous systems and can usually move.
🧪 Example: Human, Lion, Butterfly
👉 Key feature: Animals are the most complex and include vertebrates
and invertebrates.
🧠 Final Key Concepts to Remember:
Prokaryotes are the only non-eukaryotes – they have no nucleus.
Protoctists can be very diverse — don’t try to define them too
narrowly.
Fungi digest food outside their bodies — that's what makes them
different.
Plants are the only kingdom that always photosynthesizes.
Animals are the only kingdom with nervous systems and complex
movement.
