General Microbiology Questions with
Correct Answers 2026 Update
Classification of organisms - CORRECT ANSWER -Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus,
Species
Phylogenetic trees - CORRECT ANSWER -a branching diagram that represents a hypothesis
about the evolutionary history of a group of organisms
Types of microbes - CORRECT ANSWER -bacteria, archeae, fungi, molds, yeasts, protozoa, algae,
viruses, multicellular animal parasites
rRNA - CORRECT ANSWER -The RNA component of the ribosome, and is essential for protein
synthesis in all living organisms.
Theory of RNA as the original hereditary material. - CORRECT ANSWER -original molecule must
have fulfilled protein and hereditary function. Earliest cells may have been RNA surrounded by
liposomes.
Endosymbiosis - CORRECT ANSWER -A process in which a unicellular organism (the "host")
engulfs another cell, which lives within the host cell and ultimately becomes an organelle in the
host cell; also refers to the hypothesis that mitochondria and plastids were formerly small
prokaryotes that began living within larger cells.
Horizontal gene transfer - CORRECT ANSWER -A process in which an organism incorporates
genetic material from another organism without being the offspring of that organism.
Spontaneous generation - CORRECT ANSWER -A hypothetical organic phenomenon by which
living organisms are created from nonliving matter.
, Van Leeuwenhoek - CORRECT ANSWER -First person to observe and describe microorganisms
accurately.
John Needham - CORRECT ANSWER -Heated broth in sealed flasks.When the broth became
cloudy with microrganisms, he mistakenly concluded that they developed spontaneously from
the broth.
Lazzaro Spallanzani - CORRECT ANSWER -Boiled open and closed flasks of broth to disprove
spontaneous generation.
Louis Pasteur - CORRECT ANSWER -A French chemist, this man discovered that heat could kill
bacteria that otherwise spoiled liquids including milk, wine, and beer.
Joseph Lister - CORRECT ANSWER -A surgeon who used carbolic acid to control wound infection.
Edward Jenner - CORRECT ANSWER -Used a vaccination procedure to protect individuals from
smallpox.
Koch's Postulate - CORRECT ANSWER -1) Pathogen must be present in all disease cases 2) Isolate
pathogen, cultivate in pure culture 3) Inoculate into susceptible animal, initiate disease
symptoms 4) Re-isolate pathogen, confirm it's the same pathogen
Fields in microbiology - CORRECT ANSWER -Bacteriology, Virology, Mycology, Parasitology,
Entomolgy, Microbial metabolism, Microbial genetics, Microbial ecology, Microbial
pathogenesis, Immunology, Epidermiology, Antimicrobial drugs, Genetic engineering.
The bright-field microscope - CORRECT ANSWER -most common type of microscope. Uses the
objective and ocular lens to magnify an object equal to the product of the magnification of each
individual lens
Correct Answers 2026 Update
Classification of organisms - CORRECT ANSWER -Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus,
Species
Phylogenetic trees - CORRECT ANSWER -a branching diagram that represents a hypothesis
about the evolutionary history of a group of organisms
Types of microbes - CORRECT ANSWER -bacteria, archeae, fungi, molds, yeasts, protozoa, algae,
viruses, multicellular animal parasites
rRNA - CORRECT ANSWER -The RNA component of the ribosome, and is essential for protein
synthesis in all living organisms.
Theory of RNA as the original hereditary material. - CORRECT ANSWER -original molecule must
have fulfilled protein and hereditary function. Earliest cells may have been RNA surrounded by
liposomes.
Endosymbiosis - CORRECT ANSWER -A process in which a unicellular organism (the "host")
engulfs another cell, which lives within the host cell and ultimately becomes an organelle in the
host cell; also refers to the hypothesis that mitochondria and plastids were formerly small
prokaryotes that began living within larger cells.
Horizontal gene transfer - CORRECT ANSWER -A process in which an organism incorporates
genetic material from another organism without being the offspring of that organism.
Spontaneous generation - CORRECT ANSWER -A hypothetical organic phenomenon by which
living organisms are created from nonliving matter.
, Van Leeuwenhoek - CORRECT ANSWER -First person to observe and describe microorganisms
accurately.
John Needham - CORRECT ANSWER -Heated broth in sealed flasks.When the broth became
cloudy with microrganisms, he mistakenly concluded that they developed spontaneously from
the broth.
Lazzaro Spallanzani - CORRECT ANSWER -Boiled open and closed flasks of broth to disprove
spontaneous generation.
Louis Pasteur - CORRECT ANSWER -A French chemist, this man discovered that heat could kill
bacteria that otherwise spoiled liquids including milk, wine, and beer.
Joseph Lister - CORRECT ANSWER -A surgeon who used carbolic acid to control wound infection.
Edward Jenner - CORRECT ANSWER -Used a vaccination procedure to protect individuals from
smallpox.
Koch's Postulate - CORRECT ANSWER -1) Pathogen must be present in all disease cases 2) Isolate
pathogen, cultivate in pure culture 3) Inoculate into susceptible animal, initiate disease
symptoms 4) Re-isolate pathogen, confirm it's the same pathogen
Fields in microbiology - CORRECT ANSWER -Bacteriology, Virology, Mycology, Parasitology,
Entomolgy, Microbial metabolism, Microbial genetics, Microbial ecology, Microbial
pathogenesis, Immunology, Epidermiology, Antimicrobial drugs, Genetic engineering.
The bright-field microscope - CORRECT ANSWER -most common type of microscope. Uses the
objective and ocular lens to magnify an object equal to the product of the magnification of each
individual lens
