Which one of the following statements is correct?

Options

A. All the individuals of a species have exactly the same life span
B. Smaller organisms always have shorter life span and vice versa
C. Life span of an organism is the time period from its birth to its natural death
D. No organism may have a life span of several hundred years

Answer

To determine which statement is correct regarding lifespan in organisms, let's analyze each statement step by step:

1. **Statement 1**: "All individuals of a species have exactly the same lifespan."
- This statement is incorrect. Lifespan can vary among individuals of the same species due to various factors such as genetics, environment, health, and other influences. Therefore, it is not true that all individuals of a species have the same lifespan.

2. **Statement 2**: "Smaller organisms have shorter lifespan and vice versa."
- This statement is also incorrect. There is no consistent correlation between the size of an organism and its lifespan. For example, some small organisms may live longer than larger ones, and vice versa. Thus, this statement is misleading.

3. **Statement 3**: "Lifespan of an organism is the time from its birth to its natural death."
- This statement is correct. Lifespan is defined as the duration from the birth of an organism until its natural death, encompassing all the stages of its life.

4. **Statement 4**: "No organism may have a lifespan of several hundred years."
- This statement is incorrect. Many organisms, including certain trees and animals, can live for several hundred years. For instance, some species of tortoises and trees like the banyan tree can live for hundreds of years.

Based on this analysis, the correct statement is **Statement 3**: "Lifespan of an organism is the time from its birth to its natural death."