What distinguishes living from non-living?

Answer 1

The main ways you can tell if something is living if it has all of the below * It has DNA/RNA * It reproduces in someway * It is made up of many specialized cells or in the case of the single celled organism one * Reacts to stimuli One organism that can be argued that is living the virus cell. While it reacts to stimuli, has DNA/RNA, and has cells. It can not reproduce on its one it has to attach to another cell to inject that one with particles of virus, and when the cell bursts it spreads the virus cells. A virus cell does not divide or merge with another organism to produce more viruses. Though in a way it does merge it does not merge with one its own kind, thus it is not reproducing to create more virus.

Answer 2

Living things exhibit characteristics like growth, reproduction, response to stimuli, metabolism, and organization of cells. These distinguish them from non-living things, which do not have the ability to perform these functions on their own.