2.5 S.2.5 - Describe the Role of Microorganisms in Disease

Question 1

Organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eye and may be classified as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa (including algae), or animals

Answer 1

microbes/microorganisms

Question 2

Eukaryotic organisms that obtain nutrients by absorbing organic material from their environment (decomposers) through symbiotic relationships with plants or harmful relationships with a host

Answer 2

fungi

Question 3

Diseases that spread from one person to another

Answer 3

infectious/communicable diseases

Question 4

Diseases that cannot be transmitted directly from one person to another

Answer 4

Non-infectious

Question 5

Unicellular eukaryotes. They are the largest group of organisms in the world in terms of numbers, biomass, and diversity

Answer 5

protozoans/protists

Question 6

Microbes that are not free-living and must find a host from which to gain nutrients

Answer 6

parasites

Question 7

A larger organism on/in whose body a parasite lives

Answer 7

host

Question 8

An infectious agent

Answer 8

pathogen

Question 9

A magnification instrument that forms an image using a beam of electrons that travel at high speeds and form a wavelike pattern

Answer 9

electron microscope

Question 10

What term is used to describe all disease-causing microorganisms?

Answer 10

Pathogen

Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms.

Question 11

Which if the following is at the core of every virus particle?​​​​​​​

Answer 11

DNA or RNA

Every virus’s core contains either DNA or RNA as its genetic material.

Question 12

Which microscope achieves the greatest resolution and highest magnification?

Answer 12

Electron

The electron microscope is able to achieve magnification of specimens that far exceeds that of any light microscope and with greater resolution.

Question 13

In your own words, explain the differences between infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Answer 13

Infectious diseases are diseases that spread from one person to another and are commonly called communicable diseases. They are caused by microorganisms called pathogens such as bacteria, protozoans, virus and other such microbes. Non-infectious diseases do not spread to others and they remain within a person who has contracted them. These diseases are not caused by pathogens, but by other factors such as age, nutritional deficiency, gender heredity, and lifestyle.