Exams CBSE Non-living Things: Definition, Examples, and Differences

Written By Varsha
Last Modified 22-06-2023

Non-living Things: Definition, Examples, and Differences

Q: What are 5 Man-made Things?

The five man-made things are: Rock, Table, Chair, Glass, and Pen.

Q: What are the characteristics of non-living things?

Non-living things are things without life. They lack cells, development, and exhibit no movement.

Q: Is water a non-living thing?

Yes. Water doesn't have any characteristics of living thing. Hence, it is a non-living element.

Q: What are the types of non-living things?

There are two types of non-living things: Natural and Man-made.

Non-living things: We live on a planet made up of living and non-living things. While living things are defined as things that have life, anything that is not alive is considered non-living things. They lack cells and development and exhibit no movement. Non-living things do not breathe and do not require food for energy. Some examples of non-living things include stones, pens, books, bicycles, bottles, and so on.

Unlike living things, non-living things do not have a life span. They don’t need food. They don’t even respire. They do not undergo any metabolism for catabolic or anabolic reactions. The non-living things do not grow or reproduce. Our environment is made up of living and non-living things. Read the article below to know more details about non-living things.

Non-living Things: An Overview

Given below is a table that will define Non-living things in the simplest way.

Non-Living Things: Definition in Hindi	निर्जीव और जीवन के साथ संपन्न नहींनिर्जीव चीजें कहलाती हैं
Man-Made Things: Definition for Grade 1 or Class 1	Things that cannot move.
Artificial Things: Definition for Class 3	Non-living things are things that are not alive. They do not move. They do not grow. They do not need food.
Man-Made Things: Definition in Biology	Non-living things are the things that do not have cells and do not grow or show locomotion/movement

Non-living Things Classification

Things without life can be further classified into two categories, and they are:

Natural Non-Living Things
Man-made Non-Living Things

Below is a table that lists the differences between natural and man-made artificial things.

Natural Non-Living Things	Man-Made Non-Living Things
Things that are found in nature.	Things that are created by human beings.
Example: Sun, Moon, Stars, Sky, Clouds, Rocks, Mountains, etc.	Example: Toys, Chairs, Tables, Beds, Houses, Buildings, etc.

Natural and Man-made Non-Living Things Chart

living things and non living things chart

Non-Living Things Examples

We have provided some examples of man-made things below:

Chair
Table
Bed
Book
Rock
Water Bottle
News Paper
Pencil
Pen
Watch
Clock
Clothes
Toys
Glass
Mobile Phone
Photos
Sofa
Charger
Magazine
Eraser

Non-Living Things Characteristics

The characteristics of man-made things are listed below:

They are lifeless and do not have cells.
Artificial things don’t have protoplasm; thus, no life.
They do not possess any metabolic activities.
These things cannot die.
There are no processes of reproduction, nutrition, or excretion in them.
They don’t move.
They do not breathe.
These things do not obtain or use energy.
Man-made things do not respond to the environment.
They cannot grow and develop.
They do not adapt to their environment.
These things are not sensitive.
They have no lifespan.
They do not respond to stimuli.

Difference Between Living and Non-living Things

To easily understand the difference between living and non-living things, scientists have come up with necessary traits that classify them. So, anything that has life is considered a living being. Continue reading to know more about it.

Origin

Natural things are sourced from nature, whereas man-made things go through rigorous processing to mould the material to suit their intended purpose.

Durability

Man-made things are more durable than their natural counterparts. Natural things have a shorter lifespan as these things were once alive and gradually perish over time.

We have discussed man-made things, their properties, detailed classifications, non-living things’ examples, characteristics, and how they are different from living things. Non-living entities are lifeless; they do not reproduce, grow, or develop. They are not dependent on water, food, or air. They do not respire, also have no life span, and are immortal.

FAQs on Non-Living Things

Q.1: What are 5 man-made things?
Ans: The five man-made things are: rock, table, chair, glass, and pen.

Q.2: Is Earth living or non-living?
Ans: Earth is a living planet as it behaves in significant ways like a living organism.

Q.3: What are the characteristics of non-living things?
Ans: Non-living things are things without life. They lack cells and development and exhibit no movement.

Q.4: Is water a non-living thing?
Ans: Yes. Water doesn’t have any characteristics of living things. Hence, it is a non-living element.

Q.5: What are the types of non-living things?
Ans: There are two types of non-living things: natural and man-made.