Describe the characteristics of water and carbon that makes them important to living things in general, and to specific forms of life including plants, animals, and prokaryotes.

            A large percentage of living things on earth are composed of carbon. All living organisms depend on carbon in order to grow, live, and reproduce. This is what makes carbon to be the finite resources that keep on cycling through the earth in various forms. Living things depend on water for regulating their body temperatures, breaking down food, for growth, and so on (Scott & Fong, 2004). 

Why is NASA looking for water on Mars?

            Since life ultimately relies on water, NASA is searching for water on Mars as a proof for possible life.

Describe the differences in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

            Eukaryotic cells are the type of cells whose organelles are membrane-bound. This is to imply that they can either be multi-celled or single-celled organisms, such as plants, insects, human beings, fungi and so on.  On the other hand, prokaryotic cells do not contain organelles in a membrane.  Bacteria are an example of these organisms (Merchant & Favor, 2015). 

How have the characteristics of each kind of cell put limitations and provided opportunities for the survival and divergence of modern living things?

            For thousands of years that have passed, prokaryotes were perceived to be the only form of life. As time went by, more complicated eukaryotic cell emerged as a result of evolution. Although each cell has the potential of reproducing, they all contain a genetic material that distinguishes them (Stubbs et al., 2014).

Why might both cell types be considered equally successful?

            The reason as to why both cells can be regarded to be equally successful is because they share similar characteristics. Another reason is that all living things are composed of cells considered to be the basic unit of life. Both cells have the potential of regulating the transportation of materials within the bodies of living things (Merchant & Favor, 2015). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            References

Merchant, R. G., & Favor, L. J. (2015). How eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells differ.
New York : Britannica Educational Publishing in association with Rosen Educational Services

Scott, A. S., & Fong, E. (2004). Body structures & functions. Clifton Park, N.Y: Thomson/Delmar Learning.

Stubbs, M., Suleyman, N., & Horton-Szar, D. (2014). Crash Course: Cell Biology and Genetics. Saint Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences UK.