Living and Non-Living Things Share Matter
Living and Non-Living Things Share Matter is a Grade 5 science concept from Amplify Science (California) establishing that the atoms and molecules making up living organisms are the same matter found throughout the non-living environment. The carbon in a tree once existed as CO₂ in the atmosphere; the calcium in your bones was dissolved in water as mineral ions. Covered across chapters, this concept reveals that life does not create special matter — it reorganizes and uses the same matter cycling through Earth's systems.
Key Concepts
It might seem strange that a breathing jaguar has anything in common with a stone or a puddle of water. However, because they are all made of molecules, they are all matter.
This creates a connection between living organisms and non living objects . The matter in the air (non living) can become part of a plant (living), and the matter in water (non living) becomes part of an animal's body. In an ecosystem, matter is constantly interacting between living and non living things.
Common Questions
Do living things contain special matter not found in non-living things?
No, living things are made of the exact same atoms and molecules found in the non-living environment. The carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen in your body were once part of the air, water, food, and soil. Life doesn't create unique matter; it organizes existing matter into complex structures.
How does matter move from the non-living environment into living things?
Matter moves from the environment into living things through processes like photosynthesis (plants absorbing CO₂ and water), drinking and eating (animals absorbing water and nutrients), and mineral absorption (roots taking up dissolved minerals from soil). Living things are constantly importing matter from their environment.
How does matter move from living things back to the environment?
Matter returns to the environment when organisms breathe out CO₂, excrete waste, or die and decompose. Decomposers break down dead matter into simpler compounds that return to soil, water, and air. This ensures that matter cycles continuously rather than being permanently locked in living organisms.
Is the matter in your body the same matter that was once in dinosaurs?
Yes, it's possible. Atoms are recycled through Earth's systems over billions of years. The carbon atoms in your body may have been in a dinosaur, then in soil, then in a plant, and then in the food you ate. Matter cycles continuously through living and non-living systems.
When do 5th graders learn that living and non-living things share matter?
This concept is covered in 5th grade science. Amplify Science California Grade 5 chapters on matter cycling teach students that all living organisms are made of the same atoms that cycle through Earth's geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.
Why do living things need to continuously gather matter from the environment?
Living things continuously use matter for growth, repair, and energy. Some matter is released as waste or exhaled gases. To maintain and grow their bodies, living things must continuously intake new matter from the environment to replace what they use and release.
Which textbook covers how living and non-living things share matter in 5th grade?
Amplify Science (California) Grade 5 covers matter cycling between living and non-living systems throughout its chapters, demonstrating that life is part of the broader matter cycle on Earth.