microbiology- amoeba

Question 1

protista characteristics

Answer 1

-contains single cell and simple multicellular organisms
-they are eukaryotic, they have membrane enclosed nucleus and membrane enclosed organelles
-some feed by taking in organic substances, others can photosynthesise

Question 2

examples of protista

Answer 2

-amoeba: moves by means of pseudopods and is a unicellular organism
-algae: a large and diverse group of plant like organisms which can be unicellular or multicellular
-paramecium: consists of a single cell but is visible to the naked eye

Question 3

what is amoeba

Answer 3

-consists of a single cell
-is a heterotroph, it feeds on small plants, animals and bacteria
-it lives in freshwater ponds

Question 4

structure of amoeba

Answer 4

-cell membrane is semi permeable
-cytoplasm is divided into endoplasm (inner) and ectoplasm (outer)

Question 5

endoplasm

Answer 5

is fluid like and has a grainy appearance due to food vacuoles and waste materials

Question 6

ectoplasm

Answer 6

can become soft in places to allow the development of a pseudopod

Question 7

development of a pseudopod

Answer 7

-referred to as false feet
-are produced from any point of the body and have no fixed position
-they extend in the direction the amoeba wishes to move
-develop when the ectoplasm softens and moves forward and the endoplasm moves in to replace it
-is used to engulf prey

Question 8

the functions of a pseudopod

Answer 8

movement
engulf prey

Question 9

food vacuoles

Answer 9

-amoeba feeds by surrounding its prey with a pseudopod and secreting digestive enzymes into the vacuole created
-food can then be stored within the vacuole

Question 10

what is the contractile vacuole responsible for

Answer 10

osmoregulation
without it the amoeba would expand and burst