What term describes the physical and chemical processes that occur within a living organism?

The correct term that describes the physical and chemical processes that occur within a living organism is metabolism. Metabolism encompasses all the biochemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and the organism. This includes both the anabolic processes that build molecules and the catabolic processes that break down molecules to provide energy.

Homeostasis refers to the processes that maintain a stable internal environment within an organism but does not specifically cover the entirety of chemical and physical processes. Osmosis is a specific type of movement of water across a semipermeable membrane and is a component of metabolic processes but does not encompass all aspects of metabolism. Replication relates to the copying of DNA within cells, which is crucial for cell division and reproduction, but it is only one part of the larger metabolic framework that sustains life.