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Microorganism Friend and Foe

This document contains a biology class worksheet on microorganisms that are friends and foes. It includes 14 questions defining key microbiology terms like microbes, fermentation, and pasteurization. It asks students to explain processes like how curd is formed and how dough rises due to yeast. The questions also cover how microbes can be both helpful and harmful to humans, giving examples of food poisoning and antibiotic resistance. Students are asked to differentiate between types of microbes like viruses, bacteria, algae and fungi. The document tests the student's understanding of microbiology topics like food preservation, nitrogen fixation, and the role of microbes in food production and medicine.

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NEIL GAROO
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649 views

Microorganism Friend and Foe

This document contains a biology class worksheet on microorganisms that are friends and foes. It includes 14 questions defining key microbiology terms like microbes, fermentation, and pasteurization. It asks students to explain processes like how curd is formed and how dough rises due to yeast. The questions also cover how microbes can be both helpful and harmful to humans, giving examples of food poisoning and antibiotic resistance. Students are asked to differentiate between types of microbes like viruses, bacteria, algae and fungi. The document tests the student's understanding of microbiology topics like food preservation, nitrogen fixation, and the role of microbes in food production and medicine.

Uploaded by

NEIL GAROO
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DPS INDIRAPURAM

BIOLOGY-CLASS-VIII

Chapter-2 MICROORGANISMS: FRIEND AND FOE

Q1. Define the following: -

Microbes- Organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eyes and can be seen only through a
microscope are called microbes/ microorganisms.

Fermentation-In this process, microorganisms like yeast obtain energy by anaerobic respiration through
break down of glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Some bacteria also show anaerobic respiration.

Microbiology-The study of microbes is defined as microbiology.

Pasteurisation-Is a process of preventing the growth of microbes in packaged and non-packaged food
such as milk by heating it to about 70°C for 15 to 30 seconds and then suddenly chilling it for storage.
Pasteurization was discovered by Louis Pasteur.

Q2. Give reasons-

a) A little curd is added to warm milk while making curd. Why?

Ans. Curd contains several microorganisms. Of these, the bacterium, Lactobacillus promotes the
formation of curd. It multiplies in milk and converts it into curd.

b) Dough for making bread rises on adding yeast.

Ans. Yeast reproduces rapidly and produces carbon dioxide during respiration. Bubbles of carbon
dioxide fill the dough and increase its volume.

c) Antibiotics should not be taken unnecessarily Why?

Ans. It is because it may make the drug less effective when one might need it in
future. It may kill the beneficial bacteria in the body.

d) Viruses are considered as a link between living and non-living.

Ans. Like living organisms, viruses have their own genetic material i.e., DNA/RNA. But viruses
can reproduce only when they enter the host cells. In non-living medium i.e., air, water etc.
they cannot reproduce.

Q3. What do vaccines contain? How do they work?

A3. Vaccines contain suspensions of weak or dead pathogens. When pathogen or disease-causing
microbe enters our body through a vaccine, the body produces antibodies to fight the pathogen. The
body also remembers how to fight the microbe if it enters again in future and thus vaccines protect our
bodies from pathogen.

Q4. Define communicable diseases. Give some examples. Mention different ways in which these
spread.
A4. Microbial diseases that can spread from an infected person to a healthy person through air, water,
food, or physical contact are called communicable diseases.

Examples- Cholera, Chicken Pox, Tuberculosis etc.

Q5. Differentiate between virus, bacteria, protozoa, algae and fungi.


Point of Virus Bacteria Algae Fungi Protozoa
Difference
Examples HIV, Lactobacillus, Chlamydomonas, Rhizopus, Amoeba,
Bacteriophage Staphylococcus Spirogyra Penicillium Paramecium
Type of cell Acellular Prokaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic
Found In Air, water, Air, In and around Warm and Water, soil
inside host water,soil,in water and moist moist places and in living
living places and in living organisms
organisms organisms
Size Smallest Very small, Unicellular and Unicellular Always
always Multicellular and unicellular
unicellular Multicellular
Cell Wall Absent Present Present Present Absent
Proper Absent Absent Present Present Present
Nucleus
Mode of Parasitic Autotrophic, Only autotrophic Parasitic, Heterotrophic
nutrition Parasitic , Saprotrophic
Saprotrophic

Q6. What causes food poisoning?

A6. Food poisoning is caused due to the consumption of food spoilt by some microorganisms. These
microbes grow on our food and produce toxic substances, making the food poisonous causing serious
illness and even death.

Q7. What is nitrogen fixation? Explain different types of nitrogen fixation methods.

A7. Some bacteria and blue green algae, present in the soil fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into
soluble nitrogenous compounds. This process is called nitrogen fixation.

Types of Nitrogen Fixation:

a) Biological Nitrogen Fixation- Is done by living organisms like some bacteria e.g., Rhizobium and
blue green algae
b) Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation- It occurs in nature due to lightning.

**DRAW NITROGEN CYCLE from NCERT Page no.27, figure 2.10

Q8. How are microbes useful to us? Give two examples of each.
A9. (1) In food industry- Yeast, a fungus is used in baking industry for fermentation purpose and helps in
making bread, cakes etc.

Lactobacillus, a bacterium is used for setting curd. Some bacteria are also used to make cheese.

(2) In Medicine- Various antibiotics like streptomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin etc. are produced
from microbes like fungi and bacteria.
(3) In agriculture- Microbes like blue green algae and rhizobium like bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen in
soil and increase the soil fertility. In the field microbes also help in decomposition of farm waste to
make manure.

(4) Cleaning the environment- Microbes like fungi and bacteria help in cleaning the environment by
decomposing biodegradable waste.

(5) Commercial use of microbes-Commercially yeast is used for large scale production of alcohol, wine
and vinegar etc.

Q9. What are carriers? Name the carriers and disease-causing microbes in following disease.

A9. Carriers- The insects/ animals which carry disease causing germs in or on their body are called
carriers.
Disease Pathogen Carrier
Cholera Bacteria Housefly
Malaria Protozoa Female Anopheles Mosquito
Dengue Virus Female Aedes Mosquito

Q10.What is food preservation? Why do we need to preserve food? Name some methods of food
preservation.

A10.Food Preservation is a technique or method to prevent the growth of microbes in food items to
prevent spoilage of food. We need to preserve our food because microorganisms grow on our food and
spoil it. Spoilt food emits bad smell and has a bad taste and its colour also changes. Consuming spoilt
food leads to food poisoning.

Some methods of preservation of food are-

Refrigeration/Freezing

Pasteurisation/Boiling

Dehydration/Drying

Using chemical preservatives

Q11.How are Microbes harmful to us?

A11. Microbes harm us in two ways:

a) By causing diseases- Such microbes are called pathogens.


b) By spoiling our food and other substances.
**Learn Table 2.1 and 2.2 on pages 24 and 25 of NCERT

Q12.What are antibiotics? Write precautions for taking antibiotics.

A12.Antibiotics are medicines which kill or stop the growth of pathogens or disease-causing
microorganisms.

PRECAUTIONS WHILE TAKING ANTIBIOTICS:

1.It is important to remember that antibiotics should be taken only on the advice of a qualified doctor.
One must complete the course prescribed by the doctor.

2. Antibiotics should not be taken unnecessarily or in wrong doses. It may make the drug less effective
when one needs it in future. Antibiotics taken unnecessarily may kill the beneficial bacteria in the body.

3.Antibiotics should not be taken against cold and flu as these are caused by viruses.

Q13.Differentiate between antibodies and antibiotics.


Antibodies Antibiotics
Antibodies are special chemicals produced by Antibiotics are chemicals produced by
the body to fight the pathogen that enters microbes which are capable of destroying/
the body. inhibiting the growth of bacteria.

Antibodies are produced within the body of Antibiotics are external chemicals that kill
infected person e.g IgG, IgA etc. germs in an infected person e.g penicillin,
streptomycin

Q14. Name and draw the following -:


1. A free living unicellular algae – Chlamydomonas
2. Protozoa- Amoeba
3. Fungus which grows on bread - Rhizopus
4. Virus which infects bacteria – Bacteriophage

**(Please check the next page for diagrams)

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