MCB 2004C EXAM 1 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
t or f: microbes fix nitrogen into usable forms by plans. therefore, contributing to the air
we breath. - Answers - true
list two essential vitamins made by microbes - Answers - B12 & K
what are the partnerships between microbes and humans? - Answers - 10x as many
microbial cells, food production and preservation, mining for precious minerals, and
biotechnology tools
what is the microbial cell size range? - Answers - mm-0.2μm
which microbes can be seen without a microscope? - Answers - some protist and algae
- amoebas, ones that form complex multicellular assemblages - mycelia and biofilms
microbes are classified as members of a __________________ - Answers - species
(shared genes and traits)
When writing a scientific name the genus is _________________, the species is
_____________________, and both are ______________________. - Answers -
capitalized, lowercase, italicized
how is relatedness of a genome calculated? - Answers - by comparing the DNA
sequence in the genome
bacteria and archaea are both classified as what and why? - Answers - Prokaryotes
because they lack the presence of a membrane enclosed nucleus
fungi, protozoa, and algae are classified as what and why? - Answers - eukaryotes
because they have a membrane enclosed nucleus
describe bacteria - Answers - prokaryotic, 0.2-20 μm, may grow as single cells,
filaments, communities, and ubiquitous (found everywhere)
describe archaea - Answers - prokaryotic, genetically distinct from bacteria,
"extremophiles" (methanogens), and nonpathogenic
describe protozoa - Answers - eukaryotic, motile, single-celled organisms, heterotrophs,
may be free-living (ameba) or parasitic
, describe algae - Answers - eukaryotic, contain chloroplasts and conduct
photosynthesis, base of the food web, and create algal blooms
describe fungi - Answers - eukaryotic, nonmotile, absorb nutrients from surroundings,
grow as single cells or as filaments, and can cause disease particularly in
immunocompromised people
describe viruses - Answers - noncellular, genetic material (DNA or RNA) that can take
over the metabolism of a cell to generate more viruses, can cause disease, and also
used as biotechnology tools
t or f: microbes are responsible for killing more soldiers than war - Answers - true
t or f: diseases have not changed cultural practices - Answers - false, diseases have
changed cultural practices
who is the patron saint of nursing? - Answers - Catherine of Siena who took care of
people with the bubonic plague
which disease is responsible for killing a lot of native Americans? - Answers - small pox
what disease is responsible for wiping out a majority of the population in the 14th
century? - Answers - the bubonic plague
who built the first compound microscope? and what magnification did he obtain? -
Answers - Robert Hooke, up to 30x
what was Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, cloth draper turned amateur microscopist, the first
to observe? - Answers - single celled microbes
who discovered that heat killed microbes by observing samples taken from his teeth? -
Answers - Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
What is spontaneous generation? - Answers - the theory that living microbes can arise
spontaneously without parental organisms
Lazzaro Spallanzani conducted which experiment? - Answers - the sealed flask
experiment. boiled beef broth, sealed it, and nothing grew (no oxygen). lead to the
discovery of cell fission.
Louis Pasteur conducted which experiment? what was his original job? - Answers -
swan neck flask experiment. he began work as a chemist assisting with the
fermentation of alcohol.
what is the function of a swan neck flask? - Answers - permits air but no microbes to
enter the sterile medium
ANSWERS
t or f: microbes fix nitrogen into usable forms by plans. therefore, contributing to the air
we breath. - Answers - true
list two essential vitamins made by microbes - Answers - B12 & K
what are the partnerships between microbes and humans? - Answers - 10x as many
microbial cells, food production and preservation, mining for precious minerals, and
biotechnology tools
what is the microbial cell size range? - Answers - mm-0.2μm
which microbes can be seen without a microscope? - Answers - some protist and algae
- amoebas, ones that form complex multicellular assemblages - mycelia and biofilms
microbes are classified as members of a __________________ - Answers - species
(shared genes and traits)
When writing a scientific name the genus is _________________, the species is
_____________________, and both are ______________________. - Answers -
capitalized, lowercase, italicized
how is relatedness of a genome calculated? - Answers - by comparing the DNA
sequence in the genome
bacteria and archaea are both classified as what and why? - Answers - Prokaryotes
because they lack the presence of a membrane enclosed nucleus
fungi, protozoa, and algae are classified as what and why? - Answers - eukaryotes
because they have a membrane enclosed nucleus
describe bacteria - Answers - prokaryotic, 0.2-20 μm, may grow as single cells,
filaments, communities, and ubiquitous (found everywhere)
describe archaea - Answers - prokaryotic, genetically distinct from bacteria,
"extremophiles" (methanogens), and nonpathogenic
describe protozoa - Answers - eukaryotic, motile, single-celled organisms, heterotrophs,
may be free-living (ameba) or parasitic
, describe algae - Answers - eukaryotic, contain chloroplasts and conduct
photosynthesis, base of the food web, and create algal blooms
describe fungi - Answers - eukaryotic, nonmotile, absorb nutrients from surroundings,
grow as single cells or as filaments, and can cause disease particularly in
immunocompromised people
describe viruses - Answers - noncellular, genetic material (DNA or RNA) that can take
over the metabolism of a cell to generate more viruses, can cause disease, and also
used as biotechnology tools
t or f: microbes are responsible for killing more soldiers than war - Answers - true
t or f: diseases have not changed cultural practices - Answers - false, diseases have
changed cultural practices
who is the patron saint of nursing? - Answers - Catherine of Siena who took care of
people with the bubonic plague
which disease is responsible for killing a lot of native Americans? - Answers - small pox
what disease is responsible for wiping out a majority of the population in the 14th
century? - Answers - the bubonic plague
who built the first compound microscope? and what magnification did he obtain? -
Answers - Robert Hooke, up to 30x
what was Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, cloth draper turned amateur microscopist, the first
to observe? - Answers - single celled microbes
who discovered that heat killed microbes by observing samples taken from his teeth? -
Answers - Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
What is spontaneous generation? - Answers - the theory that living microbes can arise
spontaneously without parental organisms
Lazzaro Spallanzani conducted which experiment? - Answers - the sealed flask
experiment. boiled beef broth, sealed it, and nothing grew (no oxygen). lead to the
discovery of cell fission.
Louis Pasteur conducted which experiment? what was his original job? - Answers -
swan neck flask experiment. he began work as a chemist assisting with the
fermentation of alcohol.
what is the function of a swan neck flask? - Answers - permits air but no microbes to
enter the sterile medium
