Science 8
Ms. Potozny
Name: ___________________
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“SEVEN WONDERS OF THE MICROBE WORLD”
What interactions occur between humans and micro-organisms?
Micro-organisms – also called microbes - are organisms small enough to need a microscope to be seen.
There are many interactions that occur between humans and microbes. Some of these interactions are
negative, while some are positive. Bacteria – a common microbe - are used in food, medicine, and
agricultural production. Bacteria are also used to manage waste (water treatment plants), as well as for
disaster recovery (cleaning up oil spills). Microbes that make people sick are referred to as pathogens.
PROCESSING AND ANALYZING
1. What is a “microbe”? (1 mark)
2. Describe 2 ways we preserve our food. Why do these methods keep our foods safe from microbes?
(2 marks)
3. Microbes are nitrogen fixers. What is nitrogen fixation? (2 marks)
4. What are antibiotics? How are antibiotics helpful to us? (2 marks)
Science 8
Ms. Potozny
Name: ___________________
5. Antibiotics are used to treat certain infections that are caused by some bacteria. “Super bugs” are
bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics (not affected by antibiotics). How do bacteria become resistant
to antibiotics? (2 marks)
6. With recent advances in science and technology, we are now able to genetically engineer microbes.
a) How is this accomplished? (1 mark)
b) What benefits does genetically engineered microbes have for society? Identify 2 benefits
discussed in the video. (2 marks)
APPLYING
7. A friends of yours has the flu and decides to take antibiotics he found in his medicine cabinet at home
to treat the virus. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not? Explain. (4 marks)
Science 8
Ms. Potozny
Name: ___________________
COMMUNICATING (SUMMARY)
8. Using complete sentences, briefly summarize how microbes are harmful to us (negative interactions
with microbes). (3 marks)
9. Using complete sentences, briefly summarize how microbes are helpful to us (positive interactions
with microbes). (4 marks)
Science 8
Ms. Potozny
Name: ___________________
1. What is a “microbe”?
- Also known as micro-organisms
- Single-celled organisms that you need a microscope to see
- Oldest form of life on Earth
4. Describe two ways we preserve our food. Why do these methods keep our foods safe from microbes?
- Pickling (salting): adding salt and acids to our food denies microbes of water and prevents them from
growing
- Keeping our food in the refrigerator slows down the growth of microbes
- Canning: food under pressure to temperatures above 121 degrees Celsius kills microbes
- Microbes are very sensitive to temperature
5. Microbes are known to fix nitrogen. What is nitrogen fixation?
- Bacteria in the soil “fix” the nitrogen meaning they convert the nitrogen in the air to a form that can be
used by plants. They do this by combing the nitrogen from the air with oxygen or hydrogen, which are
compounds that plants can then use.
6. What are antibiotics? How are antibiotics helpful to us?
- Antibiotics are produced by bacteria for defense. They are helpful to us because they fight off other
bacteria in our body that may be making us sick.
7. Antibiotics are used to treat certain infections that are caused by some bacteria. “Super bugs” are
bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. How do bacteria become resistant to certain antibiotics?
8. A friends of yours has the flu and decides to take antibiotics he found in his medicine cabinet at home
to treat the virus. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not? Explain.
With recent advances in science and technology, we are now able to genetically engineer microbes.
a) How is this accomplished?
- Inserting the DNA into a bacterium genome and allowing it to reproduce.
b) What benefits does genetically engineered microbes have for society? Identify 2 benefits discussed in
the video.
- Insulin production
- Sustainable, less expensive fuel: ethanol and butanol (cleaner, greener fuel)
- Clothing: infusing clothes with bacteria may give them super properties (the ability to self clean or glow
in the dark)
How does studying microbes on Earth help us with space exploration?
2. Identify 2 ways microbes are harmful (negative interactions).
- Less than 5% of microbes cause disease
- The Bubonic plague (black death) was the deadliest of them all
- Eating foods contaminated with microbes
- Salmonella
- Listeria
- E. Coli
- Spoils our food (moulds grown on foods)
Science 8
Ms. Potozny
Name: ___________________
3. Identify 3 ways microbes are helpful (positive interactions).
- Food preservation
- Nitrogen fixing bacteria essential for agricultural (enrich the soil)
- Medicine (antibiotics and insulin)
- Green fuel
- Microbes are used in our clothing