Deck 1: The Main Themes of Microbiology

Question 1

Experimentation

A)is designed to refute an hypothesis.
B)is designed to support an hypothesis.
C)provides a means to gather subjective data.
D)provides a means to gather objective data.
E)is the first step in the scientific method.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The microorganisms that do not have a nucleus in their cells are called

A)decomposers.
B)prokaryotes.
C)pathogens.
D)eukaryotes.
E)fermenters.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which activity is an example of biotechnology?

A)bacteria in the soil secreting an antibiotic to kill competitors
B)a microbiologist using the microscope to study bacteria
C)Egyptians using moldy bread on wounds
D)Escherichia coli producing human insulin
E)public health officials monitoring diseases in a community

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is not a process in the scientific method?

A)belief in a preconceived idea
B)formulation of a hypothesis
C)systematic observation
D)laboratory experimentation
E)development of a theory

Question 5

The Dutch merchant who made and used quality magnifying lenses to see and record microorganisms was

A)Francesco Redi.
B)Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
C)Louis Pasteur.
D)Joseph Lister.
E)Robert Koch.

Question 6

The number one worldwide infectious diseases are

A)AIDS-related diseases.
B)diarrheal diseases.
C)malaria diseases.
D)measles.
E)respiratory diseases.

Question 7

Helminths are

A)bacteria.
B)protozoa.
C)molds.
D)parasitic worms.
E)infectious particles.

Question 8

The microorganisms that recycle nutrients by breaking down dead matter and wastes are called

A)decomposers.
B)prokaryotes.
C)pathogens.
D)eukaryotes.
E)fermenters.

Question 9

Which of the following are not considered microorganisms?

A)mosquitoes
B)protozoa
C)bacteria
D)viruses
E)fungi

Question 10

Which of the following does not indicate microbe involvement in energy and nutrient flow?

A)formation of oxygen by an oxygenic photosynthesis
B)formation of greenhouse gases
C)formation of soil
D)digestion of complex carbohydrates in animal diets
E)decomposition of dead matter and wastes

Question 11

The study of the immune response to infection caused by microorganisms is

A)hypersensitivity.
B)epidemiology.
C)immunology.
D)morbidity.
E)geomicrobiology.

Question 12

Disease-causing microorganisms are called

A)decomposers.
B)prokaryotes.
C)pathogens.
D)eukaryotes.
E)fermenters.

Question 13

Which of the following is not a human use of microorganisms?

A)baking bread
B)treating water and sewage
C)fruit production
D)mass-producing antibiotics
E)cleaning up oil spills

Question 14

All microorganisms are best defined as organisms that

A)cause human disease.
B)lack a cell nucleus.
C)are infectious particles.
D)are too small to be seen with the unaided eye.
E)can only be found growing in laboratories.

Question 15

Which group of microorganisms is composed only of hereditary material wrapped in a protein covering?

A)viruses
B)bacteria
C)parasites
D)fungi
E)yeasts

Question 16

Using microbes to detoxify a site contaminated with heavy metals is an example of

A)biotechnology.
B)bioremediation.
C)decomposition.
D)immunology.
E)epidemiology.

Question 17

When humans manipulate the genes of microorganisms,the process is called

A)bioremediation.
B)genetic engineering.
C)epidemiology.
D)immunology.
E)taxonomy.

Question 18

Which of the following is a unique characteristic of viruses that distinguishes them from the other major groups of microorganisms?

A)cause human disease
B)lack a nucleus
C)cannot be seen without a microscope
D)contain genetic material
E)lack cell structure

Question 19

The first prokaryotes appeared about ___ billion years ago.

A)5
B)4.5
C)3.5
D)2
E)1

Question 20

Organisms called parasites are

A)always classified in the Kingdom Monera.
B)always harmful to their host.
C)the decomposers in ecosystems.
D)always viruses.
E)free-living.

Question 21

The scientific method includes all of the following except

A)hypothesis.
B)experimentation.
C)observation.
D)publish.

Question 22

A scientist studying the sequence of nucleotides in the rRNA of a bacterial species is working on

A)determining evolutionary relatedness.
B)bioremediation.
C)recombinant DNA.
D)nomenclature.
E)determining if that species is the cause of a new disease.

Question 23

A scientist who constructs a hypothesis,tests its validity by outlining predicted events of the hypothesis,and conducts experiments to test for those events is using the _____ approach.

A)Koch
B)scientific method
C)spontaneous generation
D)taxonomic

Question 24

Koch's postulates are criteria used to establish that

A)microbes are found on dust particles.
B)a specific microbe is the cause of a specific disease.
C)life forms can only arise from preexisting life forms.
D)a specific microbe should be classified in a specific kingdom.
E)microbes can be used to clean up toxic spills.

Question 25

Taxonomy does not involve

A)nomenclature.
B)classification.
C)taxa.
D)identification.
E)common name.

Question 26

When assigning a scientific name to an organism,

A)the species name is capitalized.
B)the species name is placed first.
C)the species name can be abbreviated.
D)both genus and species names are capitalized.
E)both genus and species names are italicized or underlined.

Question 27

The smallest and most significant taxon is

A)genus.
B)species.
C)kingdom.
D)family.
E)phylum.

Question 28

The surgeon who advocated using disinfectants on hands and in the air prior to surgery was

A)Joseph Lister.
B)Ignaz Semmelweis.
C)Robert Koch.
D)Louis Pasteur.
E)Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

Question 29

Which of the following is a taxon that contains all the other taxa listed?

A)species
B)phylum
C)kingdom
D)genus
E)family

Question 30

Which scientific field is involved in the identification,classification,and naming of organisms?

A)nomenclature
B)taxonomy
C)phylogeny
D)Woesean classification

Question 31

Which scientist showed that anthrax was caused by the bacterium,Bacillus anthracis?

A)Joseph Lister
B)Ignaz Semmelweis
C)Robert Koch
D)Louis Pasteur
E)Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Question 32

The orderly arrangement of organisms into a hierarchy of taxa is called

A)classification.
B)identification.
C)nomenclature.
D)experimentation.
E)biotechnology.

Question 33

Which kingdom does not contain any eukaryotes?

A)Monera
B)Protists
C)Fungi
D)Plants
E)Animals

Question 34

Which of the following is a scientific name?

A)gram-positive streptococcus
B)Staphlyococcus
C)Streptococcus pyogenes
D)anthrax
E)Streptobacilli

Question 35

The scientist/s who proposed that organisms be assigned to one of three domains is/are

A)Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur.
B)Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
C)Carl Woese and George Fox.
D)Robert Whittaker.
E)Francesco Redi.

Question 36

In Haeckel's system,the protozoa and algae are classified in Kingdom

A)Monera.
B)Protista.
C)Myceteae (Fungi).
D)Plantae (Plants).
E)Animalia (Animals).

Question 37

Sterile refers to

A)pathogen-free.
B)absence of spores.
C)absence of any life forms and viral particles.
D)pasteurized.
E)homogenized.

Question 38

Which area of biology states that living things undergo gradual structural and functional changes over long periods of time?

A)morphology
B)phylogeny
C)evolution
D)genetics
E)transformation.

Question 39

The study of evolutionary relationships among organisms is called

A)biotechnology.
B)genetics.
C)recombinant DNA.
D)phylogeny.
E)taxonomy.

Question 40

Select the correct descending taxonomic hierarchy (left to right).

A)family,order,class
B)family,genus,species
C)genus,species,family
D)class,phylum,order
E)kingdom,domain,phylum

Question 41

The names of the three proposed domains are: Bacteria,Protista,and Eukarya.

Question 42

The scientific method involves formulating a tentative explanation,called the hypothesis,to account for what has been observed or measured.

Question 43

All microorganisms are parasites.

Question 44

Which scientific name is written correctly?

A)Staphylococcus aureus
B)staphylococcus aureus
C)Staphylococcus Aureus
D)Staphylococcus aureus
E)S.aureus

Question 45

Analysis of the small subunit rRNAs from all organisms in the three current domains suggests that

A)the eukaryotes arose from prokaryotes.
B)the Archaea are more closely related to eukaryotes than prokaryotes.
C)all modern and extinct organisms on earth arose from a common ancestor.
D)the prokarytoes,Archaea,and eukaryotes are not related. Refer to "Systems of Presenting a Universal Tree of Life" for a discussion of the ssu rRNAs and their role in taxonomy.

Question 46

The term sterile means free of all life forms.

Question 47

Viruses are not classified in any of Whittaker's five kingdoms.

Question 48

Many chronic conditions are found to be associated with microbial agents.

Question 49

Microbes have been found existing in salty,acidic lakes.

Question 50

A scientist studying helminths is working with bacteria.

Question 51

A hypothesis must be tested many times before it can be considered a theory.

Question 52

Members of the Kingdom Fungi are photosynthetic.

Question 53

Members of the same species share many more characteristics compared to those shared by members of the same kingdom.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT a recent discovery that has had a huge impact on the understanding of microbiology?

A)Restriction enzymes
B)PCR technique
C)Biofilms
D)Small RNAs
E)All are significant discoveries. Refer to Section 1.6 The Historical Foundations of Microbiology and read about the recent discoveries that have had a huge impact on the understanding of microbiology.

Question 55

One distinguishing characteristic of the archaebacteria is that they live in extreme environments.

Question 56

Once an organism is assigned to a particular taxonomic hierarchy,it is permanent and cannot be revised.

Question 57

In the experiments constructed by Pasteur to disprove spontaneous generation,swan-necked flasks were used.Why was this shape of flask used in this experiment?

A)The glass necks needed to be open to the air,yet constructed so that bacteria would settle in the lowest part of the neck.
B)These flask shapes were the easiest and cheapest to produce.
C)The shape of the glass neck allowed the bacteria into the flask and then into the media,but air could not enter.
D)Because the glass necks were stretched out,the heat used to sterilize the medium inside of the flask could not kill the bacteria in the neck.