Characteristics of Living Organisms · NCERT Biology

If we consider 'consciousness' as a defining property, which of the following cases presents the most difficulty in classification?

  1. A person in deep sleep
  2. A patient in a coma supported by machines
  3. A dormant seed awaiting germination
  4. A virus existing outside a host cell
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Correct answer: A patient in a coma supported by machines

A patient in a coma lacks self-consciousness and clear responses to external stimuli, yet is kept alive by machines. This makes classification difficult, as they occupy a grey area between living and non-living when consciousness is used as the defining property.

Difficulty: Medium Question 18 of 20

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