As an expert in the field of biology and the classification of living and nonliving entities, I can provide a comprehensive answer to your question. The distinction between living and nonliving things is a fundamental concept in biology. Living organisms, also known as "biological entities," exhibit certain characteristics that distinguish them from nonliving things. These characteristics include:

1. Cell Structure: Living organisms are composed of one or more cells, which are the basic units of life.

2. Metabolism: They undergo metabolism, which is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions that allow organisms to grow, reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments.

3. Growth: Living organisms can grow, typically increasing in size or complexity in a coordinated manner.

4. Response to Stimuli: They can respond to environmental stimuli in a way that helps them survive and reproduce.

5. Reproduction: They have the ability to reproduce, either sexually or asexually, to create new individuals of the same species.

6. Heredity and Variation: Living organisms have genetic information that is passed down from one generation to the next, and they exhibit variation among individuals.
7.
Homeostasis: They maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in the external environment.

Now, let's consider a piece of paper. Paper is a material primarily made from cellulose derived from plant fibers, typically wood pulp. While the source of paper, the tree, is a living organism, the paper itself does not exhibit the characteristics of life. Here's a breakdown of why paper is considered nonliving:


1. Lack of Cell Structure: Paper does not have cells or any cellular structure. It is a collection of fibers that have been pulped, flattened, and dried.

2. No Metabolism: Paper does not undergo metabolism. It does not consume energy or carry out life-sustaining chemical reactions.

3. Growth by Accretion: As mentioned in the reference, paper may increase in size if additional layers are added, but this is not the same as biological growth. It is merely a physical accumulation of material.

4. No Response to Stimuli: Paper does not respond to stimuli in a way that is beneficial for survival or reproduction. It may react to physical forces or chemical agents, but these are not responses in the biological sense.

5. No Reproduction: Paper cannot reproduce. It does not create offspring or replicate itself.

6. No Heredity and Variation: Paper does not have genetic material and does not exhibit heredity or variation in the biological sense.
7.
No Homeostasis: Paper does not maintain an internal environment. It is not capable of regulating its internal conditions to adapt to external changes.

In conclusion, while paper is derived from a living source, it is a nonliving material. It does not possess the fundamental characteristics that define life. The process of making paper involves a transformation of the living material (wood) into a form that no longer exhibits the properties of living organisms.

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Coal, which is formed when dead plant matter decomposes into peat, is an example of the second type of nonliving things. Paper, though nonliving, is made from trees. ... They may grow, but they do so only by accretion, which is the process of growth by accumulating added layers of matter.Dec 12, 2016read more >>