Answer the following.
1. What are the major groups of microorganisms?
2. Name the microorganisms which can fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil.
3. Write 10 lines on the usefulness of microorganisms in our lives.
4. Write a short paragraph on the harmful effects of microorganisms.
5. What are antibiotics? What precautions must be taken while taking antibiotics?
Answers
Answer:
1.Microbial diversity is truly staggering, yet all these microbes can be grouped into five major types: Viruses, Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, and Protists.
2.Bacteria such as rhizobium and certain blue-green algae present in the soil can fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert into usable nitrogenous compounds, which are used by plants for the synthesis of plant proteins and other compounds.
3.
Microorganisms are very useful to us. They help us in following ways: (i) Microorganisms help us in food sector. They are used for curdling of milk, preparation of bread, cake, etc. (ii) Microorganisms are used to produce alcohol at large scale. (iii) They are also used to produce wine. (iv) Yeast is used in bakeries. (v) They are also used as preservatives for food items. (vi) They are used to make different medicines, especially the antibiotics. (vii) Microorganisms are used to prepare vaccines for various diseases. (viii) They are useful for agriculture sector, as they enhance the fertility of soil by fixing nitrogen. (ix) They work as natural cleaners, as they decompose the dead bodies of plants and animals. (x) Microorganisms prepare manures by decomposing dead bodies of plants and animals.
4.
Microorganisms can prove very harmful to us, as they cause a number of diseases in human, plants and animals. Diseases in humans like common cold, tuberculosis, measles, chicken pox, polio, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis B, malaria, etc. are caused by microorganisms. Some serious diseases like anthrax is also caused in animals by the microbes. Microbes also cause diseases of plants like blights in potatoes, sugarcanes, oranges etc. They also reduce the yield. Microbes grow on food products and render them unfit for consumption. Consumption of such food causes food poisoning. Microbes also spoil clothing’s and leather products.
5.Antibiotics are medicines produced by certain micro-organisms to kill other disease-causing micro-organisms.
Precautions to be taken while using antibiotics are:
- Antibiotics should be taken under the supervision of a well qualified doctor.
- Course (intake) of antibiotics should be completed as prescribed by the doctor.
- Antibiotics should be taken in the right amount and at the right time.
- A wrong dose of antibiotics makes the drug ineffective. Also, excessive consumption of drugs may kill the useful bacteria present in our body.