Comprehensive Test Bank for
Microbiology: The Human
Experience
(Second Edition) – All 27
Chapters Covered
By: John W. Foster; Zarrintaj Aliabadi; Joan L. Slonczewski
,Part I: Fundamentals of Microbiology and Infectious Disease
1. Microbes Shape Our History
2. Basic Concepts of Infectious Disease
3. Observing Microbes
4. Living Chemistry: From Atoms to Cells
5. Cell Biology of Bacteria and Eukaryotes
6. Bacterial Growth, Nutrition, and Differentiation
Part II: Essential Biology and Control of Infectious Agents
7. Bacterial Metabolism
8. Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
9. Bacterial Genomes and Evolution
10.Bacterial Diversity
11.Eukaryotic Microbes and Invertebrate Infectious Agents
12.Viruses
13.Sterilization, Disinfection, and Antibiotic Therapy
Part III: The Immune System
14.Normal Human Microbiota: A Delicate Balance of Power
15.The Immune System: Inflammation and Innate Immunity
16.The Immune System: Adaptive Immunity
Part IV: Infectious Diseases
17.Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Immune Disorders
18.Microbial Pathogenesis
19.Infections of the Skin and Eye
20.Infections of the Respiratory Tract
21.Systemic Infections
22.Infections of the Digestive System
23.Infections of the Urinary and Reproductive Tracts
24.Infections of the Central Nervous System
25.Diagnostic Clinical Microbiology
26.Epidemiology: Tracking Infectious Diseases
27.Environmental and Food Microbiology
,PART 1: CHAPTER 01 - MICROBES SHAPE OUR HISTORY (Questions 1-30)
1. Which of the following is the best definition of a microbe?
a. A multicellular organism visible to the naked eye
b. An organism that requires a microscope to be seen
c. A eukaryotic organism that lacks a cell wall
d. A pathogenic organism that causes disease
ANS: B
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1a Describe how we define a microbe, and explain why the definition is a challenge.
MSC: Remembering
Rationale: A microbe is generally defined as a living organism too small to be seen with the
naked eye, requiring a microscope for visualization. Not all microbes are pathogenic (D), and
they include prokaryotes (lacking a nucleus) and eukaryotes.
2. Which of the following is NOT considered a benefit of microorganisms?
a. Nitrogen fixation
b. Production of fermented foods
c. Causative agents of disease
d. Synthesis of vitamins
ANS: C
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1a Describe how we define a microbe, and explain why the definition is a challenge.
MSC: Remembering
Rationale: Microbes play crucial beneficial roles in nitrogen fixation (A), food production (B),
and vitamin synthesis (D). However, being causative agents of disease (C) is a harmful effect, not
a benefit.
3. A microbe that is 50 nm in size would most likely be a:
a. fungi
b. E. coli
c. virus
d. algae
ANS: C
, DIF: Moderate
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1b Describe the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Explain
what the three domains have in common and how they differ.
MSC: Applying
Rationale: Viruses are typically between 20 nm and 300 nm. E. coli (B) is roughly 2,000 nm.
Fungi (A) and algae (D) are eukaryotic cells, typically 10,000–100,000 nm. Therefore, 50 nm is in
the viral size range.
4. Based on the figure shown (a cluster of rod-shaped organisms), the type of organism
indicated with an arrow could be a:
a. virus
b. bacteria
c. macroscopic fungi
d. large amoeba
ANS: B
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1b Describe the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Explain
what the three domains have in common and how they differ.
MSC: Applying
Rationale: The image depicts rod-shaped (bacilli) prokaryotic cells. Bacteria (B) are prokaryotes
that commonly exhibit this morphology. Viruses (A) are acellular and much smaller.
5. Which of the following demonstrates correct scientific notation of a bacterial organism?
a. Staphylococcus Epidermidis
b. Staphylococcus epidermidis
c. staphylococcus epidermidis
d. Staphylococcus Epidermidis (italicized)
ANS: B
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1b Describe the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Explain
what the three domains have in common and how they differ.
MSC: Applying
Rationale: In binomial nomenclature, the genus is capitalized, the species epithet is lowercase
(B), and the entire name is italicized. Option A incorrectly capitalizes the species.
Microbiology: The Human
Experience
(Second Edition) – All 27
Chapters Covered
By: John W. Foster; Zarrintaj Aliabadi; Joan L. Slonczewski
,Part I: Fundamentals of Microbiology and Infectious Disease
1. Microbes Shape Our History
2. Basic Concepts of Infectious Disease
3. Observing Microbes
4. Living Chemistry: From Atoms to Cells
5. Cell Biology of Bacteria and Eukaryotes
6. Bacterial Growth, Nutrition, and Differentiation
Part II: Essential Biology and Control of Infectious Agents
7. Bacterial Metabolism
8. Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
9. Bacterial Genomes and Evolution
10.Bacterial Diversity
11.Eukaryotic Microbes and Invertebrate Infectious Agents
12.Viruses
13.Sterilization, Disinfection, and Antibiotic Therapy
Part III: The Immune System
14.Normal Human Microbiota: A Delicate Balance of Power
15.The Immune System: Inflammation and Innate Immunity
16.The Immune System: Adaptive Immunity
Part IV: Infectious Diseases
17.Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Immune Disorders
18.Microbial Pathogenesis
19.Infections of the Skin and Eye
20.Infections of the Respiratory Tract
21.Systemic Infections
22.Infections of the Digestive System
23.Infections of the Urinary and Reproductive Tracts
24.Infections of the Central Nervous System
25.Diagnostic Clinical Microbiology
26.Epidemiology: Tracking Infectious Diseases
27.Environmental and Food Microbiology
,PART 1: CHAPTER 01 - MICROBES SHAPE OUR HISTORY (Questions 1-30)
1. Which of the following is the best definition of a microbe?
a. A multicellular organism visible to the naked eye
b. An organism that requires a microscope to be seen
c. A eukaryotic organism that lacks a cell wall
d. A pathogenic organism that causes disease
ANS: B
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1a Describe how we define a microbe, and explain why the definition is a challenge.
MSC: Remembering
Rationale: A microbe is generally defined as a living organism too small to be seen with the
naked eye, requiring a microscope for visualization. Not all microbes are pathogenic (D), and
they include prokaryotes (lacking a nucleus) and eukaryotes.
2. Which of the following is NOT considered a benefit of microorganisms?
a. Nitrogen fixation
b. Production of fermented foods
c. Causative agents of disease
d. Synthesis of vitamins
ANS: C
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1a Describe how we define a microbe, and explain why the definition is a challenge.
MSC: Remembering
Rationale: Microbes play crucial beneficial roles in nitrogen fixation (A), food production (B),
and vitamin synthesis (D). However, being causative agents of disease (C) is a harmful effect, not
a benefit.
3. A microbe that is 50 nm in size would most likely be a:
a. fungi
b. E. coli
c. virus
d. algae
ANS: C
, DIF: Moderate
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1b Describe the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Explain
what the three domains have in common and how they differ.
MSC: Applying
Rationale: Viruses are typically between 20 nm and 300 nm. E. coli (B) is roughly 2,000 nm.
Fungi (A) and algae (D) are eukaryotic cells, typically 10,000–100,000 nm. Therefore, 50 nm is in
the viral size range.
4. Based on the figure shown (a cluster of rod-shaped organisms), the type of organism
indicated with an arrow could be a:
a. virus
b. bacteria
c. macroscopic fungi
d. large amoeba
ANS: B
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1b Describe the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Explain
what the three domains have in common and how they differ.
MSC: Applying
Rationale: The image depicts rod-shaped (bacilli) prokaryotic cells. Bacteria (B) are prokaryotes
that commonly exhibit this morphology. Viruses (A) are acellular and much smaller.
5. Which of the following demonstrates correct scientific notation of a bacterial organism?
a. Staphylococcus Epidermidis
b. Staphylococcus epidermidis
c. staphylococcus epidermidis
d. Staphylococcus Epidermidis (italicized)
ANS: B
DIF: Easy
REF: 1.1
OBJ: 1.1b Describe the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Explain
what the three domains have in common and how they differ.
MSC: Applying
Rationale: In binomial nomenclature, the genus is capitalized, the species epithet is lowercase
(B), and the entire name is italicized. Option A incorrectly capitalizes the species.
