Chapter 1—The Science of Microbiology

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Lister used phenol to

a. disprove the theory of spontaneous generation.
b. prevent the infection in wounds.
c. sterilize surgical instruments.
d. stimulate bacterial growth.
ANS: B OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

2. The bacterium that causes the bubonic plague is

a. Bacillus subtilis.
b. Escherichia coli.
c. Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
d. Yersinia pestis.
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

3. The Irish potato famine was caused by a

a. bacterium.
b. fungus.
c. protozoan.
d. virus.
ANS: B OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

4. Select the characteristic that all microorganisms have in common.

a. They are bacteria.
b. They are organisms used in biological research.
c. They are pathogens.
d. They are too small to be seen with the unaided eye.
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

5. A microbe is used to produce erythropoietin, a hormone that signals the production of red blood cells
in the bone marrow of the human body. The production of this hormone is an advance mainly from the
field of _____________ microbiology.
a. agricultural
b. environmental
c. industrial
d. pathogenic
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

6. Select the incorrect association.

a. algae/eukaryotes
b. archaea/prokaryotes
c. bacteria/prokaryotes
d. protozoa/not microscopic
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension
 7. Select the incorrect statement about a virus.
a. It contains DNA or RNA.
b. It has a protein coat.
c. It is a cellular organism.
d. It is visible through the electron microscope.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

8. Select the correct statement about bacteria.

a. Most are multicellular.
b. None exhibit motility.
c. Their cells are filled with uniform, grainy material
d. Their cells are larger than eukaryotic cells.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

9. Bacteria can live at temperature extremes that vary as much as _____________ degrees C.
a. 40 to 60
b. 20 to 80
c. 0 to 100
d. -20 to 110
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

10. A microbe is discovered in a local waterway. Testing this water reveals its high temperature and high
acidity. The microbe produces bubbles in this water. However, tests on the microbe reveal that it does
not cause diseases in humans. It probably belongs to the group of
a. algae
b. archaea
c. fungi
d. viruses
ANS: B OBJ: TYPE: Application

11. Select the correct statement about algae.

a. Their cells do not contain chloroplasts.
b. They are eukaryotes.
c. They do not include kelp, a macroscopic organism.
d. They lack membrane-bound organelles.
ANS: B OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

12. The group of fungi does not include

a. amoeba.
b. molds.
c. mushrooms.
d. yeasts.
ANS: A OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

13. African sleeping sickness is caused by a(n)

a. alga.
b. bacterium.
c. protozoan.
d. yeast.
 ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

14. The most animal-like microorganisms are

a. algae.
b. bacteria.
c. protozoans.
d. yeasts.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

15. Flatworms and roundworms are

a. arthropods.
b. echinoderms.
c. helminths.
d. mollusks.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

16. Select the disease that is not caused by a virus.

a. malaria
b. polio
c. smallpox
d. yellow fever
ANS: A OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

17. Leeuwenhoek's microscopes could magnify to about

a. 266X.
b. 400X.
c. 900X.
d. 1000X.
ANS: A OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

18. Redi conducted experiments that discredited the theory of

a. biogenesis.
b. cells.
c. inheritance.
d. spontaneous generation.
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

19. In Pasteur's experiments on spontaneous generation, the purpose of the curve in his flasks containing
meat broth was to
a. increase the surface area of the flask.
b. increase the volume of the flask.
c. prevent microorganisms from entering the flasks.
d. promote heating of the broth.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

20. A researcher attempts to duplicate the experiments on spontaneous generation conducted by Pasteur.
Nutrient broth is sealed in glass flasks with curved necks and is sterilized with heat. The broth is
cooled to room temperature. After 48 hours the researcher observes that bacteria populate the broth in
the flask. The best explanation for this observation is that the bacteria studied can
a. change their genetic structure rapidly.
 b. develop from a nonliving source.
c. form endospores.
d. pass through pores in the glass.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Application

21. Select the incorrect association.

a. Jenner/studied smallpox
b. Koch/anthrax
c. Pasteur/French chemist
d. Spallanzani/studied typhoid fever
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

22. A vaccine can contain a

a. chemical in high concentration.
b. chemical in low concentration.
c. potent form of a microorganism.
d. weakened form of a microorganism.
ANS: D OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

23. When Jenner inoculated a child with the fluid from a cowpox blister, it
a. caused an infection.
b. had no effect.
c. stimulated immunity.
d. worked against a vaccine.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

24. To test a drug by selective toxicity is a principle of

a. chemotherapy.
b. genetic engineering.
c. immunology.
d. virology.
ANS: A OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

25. The first medically useful antibiotic was

a. a sulfa drug.
b. erythromycin.
c. penicillin.
d. tetracycline.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

26. A researcher attempts to duplicate the experiments by Iwanowski on the tobacco mosaic virus. The
researcher pours filtered juice from a plant through a filter. However, he discovers that this filtered
fluid contains both bacteria and viruses from the plant. This probably occurs because the filter has
pores with a diameter
a. larger than bacteria but not larger than viruses.
b. larger than viruses but not larger than bacteria.
c. larger than both bacteria and viruses.
d. smaller than both bacteria and viruses.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Application
 27. Salvarsan comes from the Latin word that means
a. disease.
b. healing.
c. to save.
d. to solve.
ANS: C OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

28. A bacterial culture can double its number of cells every 30 minutes. One bacterial cell placed in
nutrient broth leads to the production of _____________ cells in one hour.
a. four
b. eight
c. six
d. ten
ANS: A OBJ: TYPE: Application

29. Genetic engineering involves recombinant _____________ technology.

a. carbohydrate
b. DNA
c. lipid
d. protein
ANS: B OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

30. The most common microorganism manipulated for genetic engineering is a

a. bacterium.
b. fungus.
c. protozoan.
d. virus.
ANS: A OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

TRUE/FALSE

1. The host of the microorganism causing the bubonic plague was a fish.

ANS: F OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

2. Phytophthora infestans was the microorganism causing the potato blight in Ireland.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

3. An organism is discovered growing on the surface of a tree trunk. Studies show it is

non-photosynthetic and lives off the decaying matter of the tree. These studies show that the organism
cannot be a fungus.

ANS: F OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

4. A cellular organism is studied. The results show that the organism lacks a defined nucleus and most
organelles. These results show that the organism could be a prokaryote.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

 5. Some bacteria are photosynthetic.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

6. The organisms of archaea are not closely related to bacteria or humans.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

7. Phytoplankton is algae.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

8. Fungi are nonphotosynthetic, prokaryotic, scavengers, and lack mycelia.

ANS: F OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

9. A microorganism is identified under the microscope. It moves by the beating action of its cilia. This
organism is probably a protozoan.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

10. A tapeworm is a flatworm.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

11. The light microscope in a biology lab has a total magnification of about 1000X. This can be used to
study viruses in the lab.

ANS: F OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

12. The pathogen for AIDS is a bacterium.

ANS: F OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

13. The organism Trichinella is a helminth.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

14. Needham's experimental results apparently supported the theory of spontaneous generation. The
experiments of Spallanzani and Pasteur disproved this theory.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

15. Koch's experiments established a relationship between microorganisms and disease.

ANS: T OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

COMPLETION

1. The potato blight in Ireland occurred in the _____________ century.

ANS: nineteenth
 OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

2. A local community hires a microbiologist to study the local water supply, testing it for safe human
consumption. The training of the microbiologist is mainly in the field of _____________
microbiology.

ANS: environmental

OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

3. DDT is found ineffective at controlling an insect pest that is destroying local crops. A microorganism
is tried as a biological control. This is an advance in the field of _____________ microbiology.

ANS: agricultural

OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

4. Prokaryotic cells lack structures that are bound by cell _____________

ANS: membranes

OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

5. You know that a microorganism is a protozoan if it moves by the action of _____________,

_____________, or flagella.

ANS: cilia and pseudopodia

OBJ: TYPE: Comprehension

6. _____________ are infectious agents that consist exclusively of protein molecules.

ANS: Prions

OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

7. A large virus is discovered. If the average bacterial cell has a diameter of one micrometer, the diameter
of the virus is about _____________.

ANS: one-tenth of a micrometer

OBJ: TYPE: Application

8. The term "vaccination" is derived from the Latin word that means _____________.

ANS: cow

OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

9. Penicillin was originally referred to as the _____________ drug.

ANS: wonder
 OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

10. _____________ is the bacterium used most often in studies involving recombinant DNA technology.

ANS: Escherichia coli

OBJ: TYPE: Knowledge

SHORT ANSWER

1. Most modern classification schemes place the bacteria in a distinct kingdom, one that is apart from the
plant or animal kingdoms. However, in the historical two-kingdom scheme of classification, bacteria
were classified as plants. Explain the logic of this classification.

ANS:
The bacterial cell has a cell wall. Also, some bacteria are photosynthetic. These are characteristics
shared in common with plants.

OBJ: TYPE: Analysis

2. Many biologists described protozoans as "unicellular," as they are one-celled organisms. However,
because of their unique cell structure and complexity, other biologists use the term "acellular." Which
term do you think is more accurate?

ANS:
They are one-celled. However, the comparison of protozoan cells to animal cells supports the idea of
an acellular makeup, as the protozoan cell is usually more versatile for many functions and less
specialized. To perform many functions, a protozoan cell is more complex than the cells of other kinds
of organisms.

OBJ: TYPE: Analysis

3. As a student planning for a career in microbiology, can you assess the other areas of science that are
important in preparation for a career in this field?

ANS:
Chemistry offers an important foundation toward understanding the facts and concepts of
microbiology. Bacterial cell structure cannot be described without reference to the chemical makeup of
cells. Human anatomy and physiology is relevant, as pathogens overcome the human immune system.
Various normal floral populations of bacteria inhabit specific regions of the body. Physics is important
for understanding the optics of microscopes.

OBJ: TYPE: Evaluation

ESSAY

1. Consider the following Case History: A female patient visits an urgent care clinic. Her symptoms
include abdominal pain and fever. A small sample of blood is withdrawn from her body. This sample
is sent to a microbiology clinic. Microscopic examination of her blood generates data for calculation of
her total white blood cell count. This cell count normally falls within the range of 5,000 to 10,000
white blood cells per cubic millimeter of blood. Her count is 20,000. What is the advantage of
sampling a small volume of blood for this test?
 ANS:
The human body normally contains 4 to 6 liters of whole blood. Interpreting test results of the patient's
blood depends on knowing the concentration of white blood cells throughout this volume. A small
sample of the patient's blood indicates the white blood cell concentration throughout the entire volume
of the patient's blood. It is impossible to monitor the entire blood volume of the patient. Therefore, the
technique of sampling is used. The data from the sample represents the characteristics of the entire
blood volume of the patient.

2. From the Case History cited in question 59, what is the reason for paying close attention to the white
blood cell count in this patient?

ANS:
White blood cells are the major infection fighters in the blood. As a major component of the immune
system of the human body, their changing concentration reflects the changing immune response of the
body (See Chapters 16 through 18 in the textbook). An elevated white blood cell count indicates that
the body is making more white blood cells, an appropriate response to combat the effects of the
microbe infecting the body. More white blood cells are needed to combat these microbes and protect
the body.