VBS 2032.EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What does the term "ubiquity" mean? - answereverywhere
What are some surprising places microbes are found? - answeroceans
vegetables
How can microbes travel? - answerair
skin to skin
We do not yet know the extent of microbial diversity. Why not? - answerMany microbes
have yet to be discovered
What are three ways in which microbial activity is essential for life on this planet? -
answerNitrogen fixation, Recycling, O2 production
Where are several places microbial biofilms can be found in daily life? - answerPlaque
on your teeth, pacemakers, catheters
What are two ways microbes have changed that impact healthcare? - answerThey can
boost your immune system, they can help protect us from autoimmune diseases,
they play defense
Most microbes are not harmful. What are some reasons for this? - answerThey live
where we do not go, they cannot survive in our environment
Your friend recently ate a salad containing a brand of spinach that was recalled for
contamination with E. coli. Can you explain to her the factors that will influence whether
or not she becomes ill? - answer(number of microbes x virulence of microbe) / host
immunity
What are some ways that the Chain of Infection can be broken? - answerWashing your
hands, sanitizing counters, vaccinations
What is the "indoor microbiome?" - answerMicrobiomes that exist indoors where we live
and spend most of our time.
What is the "Hygiene Hypothesis" and how might dogs (and other animals) positively
impact our health? - answerThe hygiene hypothesis is about how we are almost too
clean now a days that not being exposed to these microbes could be hurting us.
Animals could help bring in 'outside' microbes that can help us grow our immune
systems.
,Why are pig whipworm eggs being considered for approval as a food ingredient in
Germany? - answerIt is now believed that eating these pig whipworm eggs could be a
health benefit.
Why use pig whipworms instead of human whipworms? - answerPig whipworms would
be unable to multiply in the human body which would help make effects not become
harmful.
What two scientists discovered microorganisms? - answerAntony Van Leeuwenhoek
Robert Hooke
Is a virus considered a microorganism? Why or why not? - answerNo, because they are
acellular and are not alive.
What are some basic differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? -
answerProkaryotes have no nucleus while eukaryotes have a nucleus.
What are the relative sizes of a human cell? - answer10-100 um
What are the relative sizes of a protein? - answer10 nm
What are the relative sizes of a virus? - answer100 nm
What are the relative sizes of most bacteria? - answer1-10 um
How are microorganisms named? - answergenus and species
Genus - answercommonly named after the founder, can also be named after the shape
Species - answername after the location lived
Why did some scientists have difficulty achieving the same result as Pasteur with the
swan‐necked flask? - answerSince Pasteur used a yeast extract and sugar broth there
were no heat resistant microbes in his broth.
What two scientists helped explain the conflicting data? - answerTyndall and Cohn
Tyndall - answerfound some microbes have a heat resistant form
Cohn - answerdiscovered endospores
How could the potato salad have been prepared safely? - answerIf the potato salad was
used with canned potatoes using the pressure cooker method the
high temperature would have killed the endospores.
, Why was there only one fatality? - answerThere was only one fatality because the FMC,
the Fairfield Department of Health, ODH,
and CDC rapidly responded to confirm the diagnosis, identify and treat additional
patients, and determine the source.
The scientific name of an organism includes its
A. family and genus.
B. first name and last name.
C. genus and species.
D. domain.
E. genus and species AND domain. - answerC
The idea of spontaneous generation postulated that
A. organisms could evolve into the next generation of organisms.
B. organisms could spontaneously combust.
C. organisms could spontaneously arise from other living organisms.
D. living organisms could spontaneously arise from non-living material. - answerD
What is a virulence factor? - answerThings that make you sick
Make your own version of table 3.3 in the book. What are the structures of the
prokaryotic cell? What are the characteristics and functions of each? - answerLack
membrane bound organelles
DNA concentrated in middle of cell in nucleoid, ribosomes involved in protein synthesis
(composed of proteins and rRNA) 16s is important, cytoplasmic membrane
(semipermeable... phospholipids and membrane proteins)
What parts of the cell can act as virulence factors? - answerFlagella, pili, capsule
What is a ribosome composed of? - answerProteins and rRNA
What is the function of a ribosome? - answerthey are involved in protein synthesis
What are the basic components of a cell membrane? - answerCell membranes are in all
organisms, composed of phospholipids and are
semi-permeable.
What are some functions that membrane proteins serve? - answerused for structure
and protection
How do bacteria move? How might this increase a pathogen's ability to cause disease?
- answerBacteria can move by twitching, gliding and axial filaments, they can move with
flagella and pili.
ANSWERS
What does the term "ubiquity" mean? - answereverywhere
What are some surprising places microbes are found? - answeroceans
vegetables
How can microbes travel? - answerair
skin to skin
We do not yet know the extent of microbial diversity. Why not? - answerMany microbes
have yet to be discovered
What are three ways in which microbial activity is essential for life on this planet? -
answerNitrogen fixation, Recycling, O2 production
Where are several places microbial biofilms can be found in daily life? - answerPlaque
on your teeth, pacemakers, catheters
What are two ways microbes have changed that impact healthcare? - answerThey can
boost your immune system, they can help protect us from autoimmune diseases,
they play defense
Most microbes are not harmful. What are some reasons for this? - answerThey live
where we do not go, they cannot survive in our environment
Your friend recently ate a salad containing a brand of spinach that was recalled for
contamination with E. coli. Can you explain to her the factors that will influence whether
or not she becomes ill? - answer(number of microbes x virulence of microbe) / host
immunity
What are some ways that the Chain of Infection can be broken? - answerWashing your
hands, sanitizing counters, vaccinations
What is the "indoor microbiome?" - answerMicrobiomes that exist indoors where we live
and spend most of our time.
What is the "Hygiene Hypothesis" and how might dogs (and other animals) positively
impact our health? - answerThe hygiene hypothesis is about how we are almost too
clean now a days that not being exposed to these microbes could be hurting us.
Animals could help bring in 'outside' microbes that can help us grow our immune
systems.
,Why are pig whipworm eggs being considered for approval as a food ingredient in
Germany? - answerIt is now believed that eating these pig whipworm eggs could be a
health benefit.
Why use pig whipworms instead of human whipworms? - answerPig whipworms would
be unable to multiply in the human body which would help make effects not become
harmful.
What two scientists discovered microorganisms? - answerAntony Van Leeuwenhoek
Robert Hooke
Is a virus considered a microorganism? Why or why not? - answerNo, because they are
acellular and are not alive.
What are some basic differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? -
answerProkaryotes have no nucleus while eukaryotes have a nucleus.
What are the relative sizes of a human cell? - answer10-100 um
What are the relative sizes of a protein? - answer10 nm
What are the relative sizes of a virus? - answer100 nm
What are the relative sizes of most bacteria? - answer1-10 um
How are microorganisms named? - answergenus and species
Genus - answercommonly named after the founder, can also be named after the shape
Species - answername after the location lived
Why did some scientists have difficulty achieving the same result as Pasteur with the
swan‐necked flask? - answerSince Pasteur used a yeast extract and sugar broth there
were no heat resistant microbes in his broth.
What two scientists helped explain the conflicting data? - answerTyndall and Cohn
Tyndall - answerfound some microbes have a heat resistant form
Cohn - answerdiscovered endospores
How could the potato salad have been prepared safely? - answerIf the potato salad was
used with canned potatoes using the pressure cooker method the
high temperature would have killed the endospores.
, Why was there only one fatality? - answerThere was only one fatality because the FMC,
the Fairfield Department of Health, ODH,
and CDC rapidly responded to confirm the diagnosis, identify and treat additional
patients, and determine the source.
The scientific name of an organism includes its
A. family and genus.
B. first name and last name.
C. genus and species.
D. domain.
E. genus and species AND domain. - answerC
The idea of spontaneous generation postulated that
A. organisms could evolve into the next generation of organisms.
B. organisms could spontaneously combust.
C. organisms could spontaneously arise from other living organisms.
D. living organisms could spontaneously arise from non-living material. - answerD
What is a virulence factor? - answerThings that make you sick
Make your own version of table 3.3 in the book. What are the structures of the
prokaryotic cell? What are the characteristics and functions of each? - answerLack
membrane bound organelles
DNA concentrated in middle of cell in nucleoid, ribosomes involved in protein synthesis
(composed of proteins and rRNA) 16s is important, cytoplasmic membrane
(semipermeable... phospholipids and membrane proteins)
What parts of the cell can act as virulence factors? - answerFlagella, pili, capsule
What is a ribosome composed of? - answerProteins and rRNA
What is the function of a ribosome? - answerthey are involved in protein synthesis
What are the basic components of a cell membrane? - answerCell membranes are in all
organisms, composed of phospholipids and are
semi-permeable.
What are some functions that membrane proteins serve? - answerused for structure
and protection
How do bacteria move? How might this increase a pathogen's ability to cause disease?
- answerBacteria can move by twitching, gliding and axial filaments, they can move with
flagella and pili.
