Question

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Answer 1

one element that you might want to keep in mind is that an organism must fight against entropy (it can actually be used in the definition of life).

Answer 2

life needs to use energy to maintain order. basically it all starts from light energy exciting pigments, then all goes downhill (spontaneous): electron flow allows ATP synthesis via the creation of a chemical gradient, and so on...

Answer 3

basically yes. Life needs absorb energy to allow non spontaneous reactions to occur. otherwise would die.