Final answer:
All living organisms share several key characteristics or functions that define life, including order, reproduction, growth and development, regulation, homeostasis, energy processing, adaptation, and evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
All living organisms share several key characteristics or functions: order, sensitivity or response to the environment, reproduction, growth and development, regulation, homeostasis, energy processing, adaptation, and evolution. These nine characteristics serve to define life. For example, order refers to the organization of cells and structures within an organism, while adaptation refers to the ability to adjust to changes in the environment. Reproduction allows for the production of offspring, ensuring the continuation of the species.