Bacteria Review Questions
1. Identify the two major groups of bacteria.
2. Explain the difference between gram positive
and gram negative bacteria.
3. Describe three ways that bacteria can obtain
energy.
4. Describe how bacteria reproduce, exchange
genetic information and survive harsh
conditions.
5. If Earth suddenly lost its light source but stayed
the same temperature, which organisms might
survive?
6. How do the products of binary fission and
conjugation differ?
1. Identify the two major groups of bacteria.
Archaea(Archaebacteria)
Bacteria (Eubacteria)
2. Explain the difference between gram positive
and gram negative bacteria.
Gram Positive bacteria
have a thick layer of
peptidoglycan and no
outer membrane.
Gram Negative bacteria
have a thin layer of
peptidoglycan and a thin
outer membrane
3. Describe three ways that bacteria can obtain
energy.
1. Photoautotrophs obtain energy through
photosynthesis.
2. Chemoautotrophs obtain energy from sulfur
and nitrogen compounds.
3. Heterotrophs obtain energy from other
organisms (decomposers and parasites).
4. Describe how bacteria reproduce, exchange
genetic information and survive harsh conditions.
• Prokaryotes reproduce by binary fission.
• Prokaryotes exchange genetic material
through conjugation, transformation and
transduction.
• Prokaryotes survive harsh conditions by
forming an endospore.
5. If Earth suddenly lost its light source but
stayed the same temperature, which organisms
might survive?
Any organism that does not photosynthesize
would survive (chemoautotrophs and
heterotrophs). However, heterotrophs that rely
on photoautotrophs would eventually die or
adapt to use chemoautotrophs as a food source.
6. How do the products of binary fission and
conjugation differ?
Binary fission products are genetically identical
to the parent.
The products of conjugation are genetically
different.