the natural world can be divided into animals plants and minerals

The classification you're referring to is a traditional and simplified way of looking at the natural world, often taught in early education. Here's a brief explanation:

1. Animals: These are living organisms composed of cells that can sense their environment, respond to stimuli, consume organic material, grow, reproduce, and adapt to some extent. Animals are multicellular, heterotrophic (they cannot produce their own food and must consume other organisms), and they move voluntarily.

2. Plants: Plants are also made up of cells and are capable of producing their own food through photosynthesis. They have cell walls made of cellulose, contain chloroplasts which allow them to perform photosynthesis, and are generally stationary throughout their life cycle.

3. Minerals: This category refers to naturally occurring inorganic substances with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure. Minerals are not living organisms but are an essential part of the Earth's crust, forming rocks and contributing to geological processes.

However, it's important to recognize that this division is quite basic and doesn't fully capture the diversity and complexity of life on Earth. For instance:

• Other Organisms: There are many other categories of life, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which have distinct characteristics and don't neatly fit into the animal or plant categories.

• Ecosystems: The natural world is interconnected and complex, with various organisms, including animals and plants, interacting within ecosystems.

• Biological Classification: In biology, a more detailed system of classification exists, known as taxonomy, which is based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships. It includes domains, kingdoms, phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species.

• Continuum of Life: Life exists along a continuum, and the boundaries between living and non-living, as well as among different forms of life, can sometimes be blurry.

So while the division into animals, plants, and minerals is a helpful starting point for understanding the natural world, it's just one perspective on a vast and intricate web of life.