Which of the following is not a characteristic of growth in living organism?

Options

A. increase in number due to cell division
B. increase in size due to accumulation of material from outside
C. increase in size due to accumulation of material from inside
D. both (1) and (2)

Answer

To determine which of the following is not a characteristic of growth in living organisms, we will analyze each option one by one.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Growth in Living Organisms**:
- Growth in living organisms can be defined as an increase in size or mass. This can occur through two primary mechanisms:
- Increase in the number of cells (cell division).
- Increase in the mass of cells (accumulation of materials).

2. **Analyzing Each Statement**:
- **Option 1: Increase in number due to cell division**:
- This is a characteristic of growth in living organisms. Cell division leads to an increase in the number of cells, which is a fundamental aspect of growth.

- **Option 2: Increase in size due to accumulation of material from outside**:
- This is not a characteristic of living organisms. This process is known as "accretion," which is typical of non-living things. For example, sand dunes grow in size due to the accumulation of sand, but this does not represent growth in a living organism.

- **Option 3: Increase in size due to accumulation of material from inside**:
- This is a characteristic of living organisms. When living organisms grow, they assimilate nutrients and materials from their environment, leading to an increase in mass from within.

- **Option 4: Increase in size due to cell division**:
- This is also a characteristic of growth in living organisms, as cell division contributes to the overall increase in size.

3. **Conclusion**:
- After analyzing all options, the statement that is not a characteristic of growth in living organisms is **Option 2: Increase in size due to accumulation of material from outside**.

### Final Answer:
The correct answer is **Option 2**.