Bacteria Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Bacteria?
Bacteria are one of the most common and oldest forms of life in our world. They range from single-celled organisms to colonies composed of billions of cells. Bacteria can be found virtually everywhere on Earth, from deep ocean trenches to frozen mountain summits. Bacteria have an amazing array of shapes and sizes, from small rod-shaped bacteria to large spiral-shaped ones. Some live as free-floating cells, while others form complex communities with other organisms like plants or animals. Bacteria are incredibly diverse, capable of surviving under a wide variety of conditions including extreme temperatures, high pressures and low nutrient levels. Bacteria play an important role in maintaining balance within our environment by breaking down organic matter such as dead plant and animal material into essential nutrients that can be used by other living things. Without bacteria decomposing this matter, it would accumulate over time leading to reduced water quality and soil fertility. Bacteria also help cycle nitrogen through the atmosphere which is necessary for plants’ growth and crop production . In addition to their environmental roles, bacteria have many beneficial uses for humans: they produce antibiotics that fight off disease-causing microorganisms; they digest food in our gut so we can absorb vital nutrients; they process sewage waste so it can safely return back into aquatic ecosystems without causing contamination; they create cheese flavors and fermented foods such as yogurt; and even more recently scientists are using bacteria to develop green fuels. Overall, although some bacterial species cause diseases, most represent a major part of nature’s recycling system that helps maintain balance in the ecosystem – making them a critical part of life on Earth.