Biology Forums - Study Force

What are emergent properties?

Think of the word emerge (as things become more apparent, more visible). This idea has to do with evolution, are you studying that at the moment?

Here's another look at what emergent property looks like:

Cell --> Tissue --> Organ --> Organ System --> Animal

So, it's the property where living things become more and more complex as it goes from cellular level to organ system.

It's based on the concept that "the whole is greater than the composition of its parts." For example, the heart is made of cells only, but if you just have heart cells (sum of its parts) it won't do anything but if the whole heart is there, it will perform the function of pumping blood (the whole is greater).

Does this help?

Yes, thank you very much!! That helped a lot.

You're welcome :)