Which of the following statements about living and non-living being is/are correct?
- 1. While living being can demonstrate growth and repair, non-living being cannot.
- 2. While living being demonstrates metabolic processes, non-living being does not.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2022
Statement 1 is correct. Living beings demonstrate intrinsic growth (increase in mass and size from within, often through cell division) and have mechanisms for repair of damaged tissues and cells. Non-living things can increase in size, but this growth is typically extrinsic (accumulation of material on the surface), and they do not have biological repair mechanisms. Statement 2 is correct. Metabolism, the sum of all chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life, is a defining characteristic of living beings. Non-living things do not perform metabolic processes.
Growth in living organisms is an internal process, while growth in non-living matter is external accumulation. Metabolism is a unique feature of living organisms.