Intro to Microbiology Flashcards
What is a microorganism?
Organisms that are too small to be seen with the unaided eye
Examples include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
What are the three taxonomic domains of life?
- Bacteria
- Archaea
- Eukarya
Define microbiology.
The study of microorganisms.
What is the cell theory?
All living things are composed of cells.
What is the germ theory of disease?
The theory that microbes can cause disease.
List several representative groups of microorganisms.
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Protozoa
- Viruses
- Microscopic Algae
- Animal Parasites
What distinguishes Bacteria from Archaea?
Bacteria have peptidoglycan cell walls, while Archaea lack peptidoglycan.
What is binomial nomenclature?
A system that gives each organism a two-part name consisting of the genus and specific epithet.
True or False: In binomial nomenclature, the genus is italicized and capitalized.
True
What is the significance of Robert Hooke’s observations in 1665?
He reported that life’s smallest structural units are ‘cells’.
What is spontaneous generation?
The hypothesis that some living organisms arise from nonliving matter.
What is biogenesis?
The concept that living organisms arise only from preexisting life.
Who challenged the spontaneous generation hypothesis?
Rudolf Virchow: Came up with the hypothesis of biogenesis
Pasteur: Proved biogenesis true, With his s-shaped flask, that kept microbes out but let air in.
What did Louis Pasteur demonstrate in 1861?
Proved biogenesis to be true. With his S-shaped flask that allowed air to flow into the flask but kept microbes out.
Microorganisms are present in the air and can contaminate sterile solutions.
What is aseptic technique?
Techniques that prevent contamination from unwanted microorganisms.
Identify a key period known as the Golden Age of Microbiology.
1857-1914
What are Koch’s Postulates?
Experimental steps used to prove that a specific microbe causes a specific disease.
What is the role of normal intestinal flora?
Aid in food digestion and produce vitamins B and K.
Fill in the blank: The first observations of microorganisms were made by _______.
Robert Hooke
What is the definition of fermentation?
The metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol.
Who began treating surgical wounds with phenol?
Joseph Lister
What is vaccination?
Inoculation with a weakened, less dangerous form of a pathogen.
True or False: Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine for smallpox.
True
What did Pasteur coin in 1880?
The term vaccination.
What is the primary purpose of studying microbiology?
To understand the roles of microorganisms in health, disease, and the environment.
