Intro to Bacteria

Intro to Bacteria

Pathogens: microbes that cause disease

• Bacteria (E. coli, salmonella)

• Fungi (athlete's foot, ringworm)

• Viruses (Covid, Ebola, HIV)

Harmful bacteria

Bacteria are the cause of many common infections. Red, swollen skin is a sign of a bacterial infection, such as an infected cut or pimple.

Bacterial infections

Another example of a bacterial infection is a staph infection, cause by Staphylococcus aureus (pictured at the right, magnified 20,000 times.)

Beneficial bacteria

Not all bacteria are harmful. Bacteria benefit humans in many ways, including keeping our digestive system healthy. This is referred to as "gut health". (Gut is a common term for the stomach and intestines.)

Video Segments

Watch the Amoeba Sister's video, Bacteria, and answer questions after each segment. To start each segment, click on the preview image.

Multiple Select

Where can bacteria be found? (check all that apply)

• human skin

• in houses

• outdoors

• human digestive system

• Only on contaminated surfaces

Multiple Choice

All bacteria are harmful

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Bacteria help us to break down food.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Humans use bacteria to make yogurt.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Bacteria harm ecosystems as decomposers.

• True

• False

Multiple Select

Diseases caused by bacteria include (choose 3)

• Covid

• strep throat

• tetanus

• pneumonia

• HIV/AIDS

Multiple Choice

Antibiotics can kill

• viruses

• good bacteria, only

• bad bacteria, only

• both good and bad bacteria

Multiple Choice

Which word is used for one bacterial cell?

• bacteria

• bacterium

Multiple Choice

Which of these represents a bacterium?

Multiple Choice

Bacteria cells have a nucleus.

• True

• False

Multiple Select

Which structures might be found as part of bacteria? (choose 3)

• protein coat

• nucleus

• flagellum

• capsule

• pili

Multiple Choice

The process bacteria use for reproduction is

• meiosis

• binary fission

Multiple Choice

Bacteria exchange DNA by swapping

• plasmids

• nuclei

• protein coats

Multiple Choice

Where would you be most likely to find extremophile bacteria?

• school

• home

• a volcano

Multiple Choice

Which field is a good career choice for people interested in bacteria?

• paleontology

• microbiology

• genetics

• naturalist