MICROORGANISMS: FRIEND OR FOE

Answer KEY
6. Define Antibody.
Ans-The proteinaceous substances produced by the cells of our
immune system in response to antigens.
7. Differentiate between Antibiotics and Vaccines.

ANTIBIOTICS
Antibiotics are the substances
produced by one type of microbe
which can destroy the other harmful
microbes.
VACCINES
Vaccines are the suspensions of dead
or weakened microbes which activate
our immune system to produce
antibodies against a particular disease.

Antibiotics are non specific in their Vaccines are specific in their action as
action as they kill both useful and they help in the production of specific
harmful microbes in the body. antibodies against a particular disease
causing microbe.
8. What is food poisoning? Name any two causative microorganisms
responsible for food poisoning.
Ans- Some microbes produce toxic substances which make the food
poisonous, causing serious illness called food poisoning. Examples
of bacteria causing food poisoning are- Salmonella and
Clostridium botulinum.
9. Enlist the precautions need to be taken while using antibiotics.
I. Antibiotics should be taken only on the advice of a well
qualified doctor.
II. We must complete the entire course (intake) of antibiotics as
prescribed by the doctor. This completely destroys the disease
causing microorganism in our body.
III. We should not take antibiotics when not required or in wrong
doses as it makes the antibiotic ineffective .
IV. Taking antibiotics unnecessarily may kill the beneficial bacteria
present in our body.
V. Antibiotics should not be taken when we are suffering from cold
and flu caused by viruses. This is because antibiotics are
ineffective against the diseases caused by viruses.
10 (i)Name the scientist who discovered the antibiotics.
Ans- Alexander Fleming in 1929.
(ii) Name the causative organism of
1. Typhoid - Salmonella typhi
2. Citrus canker in Plants- Xanthomonas citri
PRACTICE WORK
Answer key-
a) B
b) C
c) B
d) B
e) B
TO UNDERSTAND THE NITROGEN CYCLE
OCCURRING IN NATURE.
 NITROGEN CYCLE
Atmosphere has 78% nitrogen which can not be
directly used by plants and animals.
Nitrogen is an important constituent of proteins,
vitamins, chlorophyll etc. in living organisms.

Nitrogen cycle exists in nature and has the

following steps:
NITROGEN FIXATION
AMMONIFICATION
NITRIFICATION
DENITRIFICATION
 NITROGEN FIXATION
• Nitrogen fixation is the process of conversion
of atmospheric nitrogen into useful
compounds such as nitrates and nitrites. It can
occur in the following three ways:
1. Physical / atmospheric nitrogen fixation
2. Industrial nitrogen fixation
3. Biological nitrogen fixation-
a) Asymbiotic b) Symbiotic
 NON- BIOLOGICAL
NITROGEN FIXATION
s
 BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION
• The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into usable
forms ( nitrates and nitrites) by the living organisms
is called biological nitrogen fixation. It is of two
types:
SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION NON-SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION

It is done by the microbes that live in It is done by free living bacteria

mutually beneficial association with
some plant parts.
Example- Rhizobium bacteria lives in the
root nodules of leguminous plants like
peas, beans.
(Azotobacter sp.) And Cyanobacteria.
Example- Anabaena and Nostoc
(* Nostoc is found in the paddy fields)
 AMMONIFICATION
It is the conversion of nitrogen compounds present
in dead plants and animals into ammonia.
It is done by bacteria like Bacillus ramosus.
Ammonia can be taken up by plants as ammonium
ions or can be changed into nitrates.
NITRIFICATION
 NITRIFICATION
STEP- 1
AMMONIA NITRITE
STEP-2
NITRITE NITRATE
 DENITRIFICATION
It is the conversion of nitrates, present in the
soil, into free atmospheric nitrogen by bacteria
Pseudomonas.
Pseudomonas
Nitrates N2
 ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

11. Define Nitrogen fixation.

Ans- Nitrogen fixation is the process of
conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into useful
compounds such as nitrates and nitrites.

12. Differentiate between Nitrification and

Denitrification.
 NITRIFICATION DENITRIFICATION

It is the process of converting ammonia It is the conversion of nitrates, present in

first into nitrites and then into nitrates. the soil, into free atmospheric nitrogen.

It is done by Nitrococcus, Nitrosomonas It is done by bacteria Pseudomonas.

and Nitrobacter.

13. Explain nitrogen cycle occurring in nature with the help of a flow chart.