Which characteristic of life involves responding to environmental stimuli?

The characteristic of life that involves responding to environmental stimuli is termed "Response to stimuli." This defines an organism's ability to perceive changes in the environment and react accordingly, which is crucial for survival.

For example, plants may exhibit phototropism, where they grow towards a light source, while animals might react to danger by fleeing or entering a defense posture. This responsiveness allows organisms to adapt to their surroundings, ensuring they can find resources such as food and shelter, escape predators, and find mates, ultimately promoting survival and reproduction.

Other characteristics mentioned, such as growth, homeostasis, and reproduction, focus on different aspects of life. Growth pertains to an increase in size or mass, homeostasis refers to maintaining a stable internal environment despite external changes, and reproduction involves the biological processes that allow organisms to produce offspring. While all of these characteristics are essential to life, it is the response to stimuli that directly addresses how living organisms react to changes in their environment.