How do movement and sensitivity differ in living organisms?

Movement in living organisms is a physical action, while sensitivity refers to their response to stimuli.

Movement in living organisms is a fundamental characteristic that involves the physical displacement or change in position of the whole organism or parts of it. This can be voluntary, such as walking or running, or involuntary, like the beating of the heart. Movement is facilitated by various systems within the organism, including the muscular and skeletal systems in animals, and the cytoskeleton in single-celled organisms. It is a complex process that requires energy and is often directed by signals from the nervous system.

On the other hand, sensitivity in living organisms refers to their ability to perceive and respond to changes in their environment. This involves the detection of stimuli, which can be physical (like light or temperature), chemical (like the presence of certain substances in the environment), or biological (like the presence of other organisms). Sensitivity is crucial for survival, as it allows organisms to adapt to their environment and respond to potential threats. It is facilitated by sensory organs or cells, which detect stimuli and send signals to the nervous system, triggering a response.

While both movement and sensitivity involve the nervous system and are crucial for survival, they are fundamentally different. Movement is a physical action, often in response to a stimulus, while sensitivity is the detection and response to that stimulus. In other words, sensitivity often precedes movement - an organism must first detect a change in its environment before it can respond with movement. However, not all stimuli lead to movement; some may lead to other types of responses, such as changes in metabolism or behaviour. Similarly, not all movement is a response to external stimuli; some are part of the organism's normal physiological processes, like the beating of the heart or the growth of a plant towards light.