MICROORGANISMS

• also known as microbes

• so tiny that it cannot be
seen with our naked eyes
• is the smallest organism Moulds Mushrooms
(living things) that can only be seen through a
microscope
• but a magnifying glass can be used to observe
certain microorganism such as yeast
• undergo life processes as it grow, breathe,
moves and propagate (propagate means it will
increase in numbers)
• can be harmful and some are useful
• can be found in air, water and soil as well as
on or in human bodies or animals
Yeast Cell Structure
• the study of microorganisms is known as
microbiology
(b) Bacteria (singular is ‘bacterium’)
• to overcome our eyes limitation
by using microscope and • do not have chlorophyll to make own food
magnifying glass
• get food from live and dead organisms
• can be found in air, water, soil, food and in
Types of Microorganisms living or dead organisms
(a) Fungi (singular is ‘fungus’) • under the group of living microorganisms,
• the largest microorganism bacteria are a major group because
bacteria can grow extremely rapid
• do not have chlorophyll to make own food
so they have to get their nutrients from a • flagellum (plural is flagella) is a hair like
host, either on living or dead organisms as structure used by bacteria to swim but if
well as in water, trees, soil, air and rotten bacteria don’t have flagella, they need
foods water, wind, passing animals or you to
spread them around
• grow on lots of different hosts, anywhere • exist in a different shapes, sizes and
that is warm and damp colours
• examples that are very familiar include
moulds, yeast and mushrooms
• yeast are single-celled fungi that eat
starches and sugars and used to make
bread and other wheat-based products,
such as pizza dough and dumplings

Yeast Cells
Bacterial Shapes & Arrangements Curved Forms
Coccus (Plural - Cocci)

(c) Algae
Bacillus (Plural - Bacilli))
• small plants living in
water;
• contains chlorophyll
to make its own
food;
• lives in pond, lakes, oceans and in many
other mist habits.
• Examples of algae in nature; green algae,
blue-green
green algae, fibrous green algae, red
algae, seaweed and kelp

Flagellum helps in its movement

(d) Virus
• the tiniest /
smallest
microorganism
• can be only
observed under
electron microscope
• considered as a living and non-living
things because they don’t carry life
processes like breathing and eating
except for reproduction
• can’t produce on its own and thus gets its
food from live organism only
(e) Protozoa
• by entering a living body, it uses material
from the host to reproduce more viruses; • larger than bacteria and viruses
• can be found in some humans, animals, • found mainly in ponds, rivers, swamps and
plants and also in protozoa, fungi and body tissue fluid
bacteria (a phage is a virus which attacks
• can make food or feed from the cell of
bacteria)
dead or living organisms and some of them
feed on other microorganisms
• harmful protozoa are found in raw
vegetables that grow in polluted water
supplies

Paramecium uses its cilia to move

Amoeba moves by extending pseudopodium or

false feet
Life Processes of Microorganisms • to
o grow well, microorganisms need air,
food, water and a suitable temperature
(a) Microorganism Breath
• they grow faster in moist and warm
• microorganisms breath to survive conditions
• they
hey take in oxygen (from the air) and • when microorganism grows on food,
food the
produce carbon dioxide food turns bad and it’s considered as
• yeast (fungus) breath in the process of damaged
bread making. When yeast east breathes, it • if we leave a bowl of
o rice for a few days, it
takes in oxygen and gives out carbon will be covered with white patches (fungi)
dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas that is and they grow bigger after some times
given out by yeast causes the dough to rise
and become bigger • fungi
ungi also grow on rotten fruit and bread
when conditions
onditions are suitable for them
Experiment 1.1
Experiment 1.2
Purpose:
To examine that microorganism breathe. Purpose:
Materials: To investigate that microorganisms grow.
A cup of flour, half cup of warm water, a teaspoon
Materials:
of dried yeast, a teaspoon of sugar and a damp
cloth. A slice of bread, some water, plastic bag and
Procedure: magnifying glass.
1. All ingredients are mixed and kneaded well to Procedure:
form dough.
1. A few drops of water are sprinkled on the slice
2. The dough is covered with a dam cloth and left
of bread.
aside for aboutt one hour at room
temperature. 2. The bread is kept in a plastic bag and placed in
3. The above steps are repeated but this time the a dark place in the science laboratory.
dried yeast are left out. 3. Observe the changes on
o the surface of the
Observation: bread cupboard under the magnifying glass for
1. Dough with dried yeast successfully rises. three days.
2. Dough without dried yeast failed to rises. Observation:
The numbers of black patches on the bread
increase from day one until day three.

A) Dough without dried yeast

B) Dough with dried yeast added
Conclusion:
1. Yeast breathes and gives out carbon dioxide gas.
2. The gases produced occupy space in the dough
causing the dough to rise and become bigger. Microorganisms grow
Conclusion:
(b) Microorganism Growth
1. Drops of water and laboratory environment
• microorganisms
icroorganisms also grow and reproduce may contain
ontain microorganisms.
like other living things under suitable
2. Microorganisms will only grow when food,
conditions water, oxygen ad a suitable temperature are
available.
(c) Microorganism Movement
• microorganisms can
an move on their own to
survive
• some
ome microorganisms are immobile, which
mean that they are not able to move
• in
n addition some microorganisms do not
have legs but can move freely by using Paramecium and Amoeba movement
special features or
structure in the body Conclusion:
such as flagella, cilia or 1. The movement of microorganisms are
extended false feet observed in the ponds water.
(pseudopodium) 2. Different microorganism move in different
• different
ifferent microorganisms move in different ways.
ways and can easily be observe through a
microscope
Useful microorganisms
Experiment 1.3
Purpose: (a) Used in food production or food industry
To observe the movement of microorganisms. Useful Explanation
Materials: Yeast
used to make bread dough
Some pond water, microscope, glass slide, and a rise and the bread fluffy
dropper.
used to make tempe (soy
Procedure:
bean, wheat and water
mixed with yeast)
1. Samples of water are collected from the

used to make tapai
ponds.
(glutinous rice or tapioca
2. Drops of water were placed on a glass slide. mixed with yeast and after
3. Movement of microorganisms were observed few weeks, its turn to
under the microscope. sweet and soft tapioca or
glutinous rice)

used to produce wine by
fermenting fruit juices such
as grape juice

involved in producing
alcoholic drinks
Mushrooms
eaten as food (note:
( there
is a mushroom called
‘amanita’ which is
poisonous)
Bacteria
used
sed in the preparation of
Slide preparation.
fermented food such as
Observation: vinegar and wine
A lot of tiny microorganisms are seen moving in
can turn milk into cheese
the water sample. and yogurt
(b) Used to produce antibiotics • microorganisms thatt cause diseases
disea are called
• drugs made from fungi cure pathogens (gems)
diseases and stop the
• disease
isease that can be spread from person to
rejection of transplanted
another person called contagious diseases
hearts and other organs
• diseases
iseases are normally spread by:
• Penicillin, an antibiotic (a drug that kills
bacteria) is made from a fungus (Alexander o taking in contaminated food (food
Flemming was the founder) poisoning)
o taking in contaminated drink (cholera)
(c) Used in agriculture industry o direct contact
ntact with infected people
(measles, chickenpox)
• some
ome fungi and bacteria are useful for
breaking down the waste matter or o coughing or sneezing into the air (flu and
remains of plants and animals to produce cough)
organic fertilisers o small animals such as flies, mosquitoes and
• organic gardeners and farmers use fungi to rats (malaria, dengue, cholera)
kill pests
• algae
lgae helps the environment by creating Ways to prevent spreading of diseases
oxygen photosynthesis
• wash
ash hands before handling food
• wash
sh hands after using the toilet
Harmful microorganisms
• drink boiled water and eat well cooked food
Causes Explanation
• cover your mouth/nose
mouth when you are
illnesses or
microorganisms that enter coughing or sneezing
diseases the body will grow and
• cover food or keep in the refrigerator to
produce toxins that cause
prevent contamination by bacteria or insects
illnesses or diseases

e.g. measles, mumps, rubella • apply antiseptic on wound to prevent infection
(German
German measles)
measles and AIDS • nott spitting in public areas
(Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome)) • some
ome diseases can be prevented by
vaccination or immunisation
food poisoning
shows some symptom such as
vomiting, stomach ache, • quarantine
uarantine the patients who are suffering
nausea (dizziness)
zziness) and from contagious diseases such as chickenpox,
diarrhoea conjunctivitis or mumps

food to turn
food becomes contaminated • not

ot sharing personal items such as towels,
bad and this spoilage food gives toothbrushes
othbrushes and combs with infected person
out a foul smell, bad tastes • controlling
ontrolling the breeding sites of mosquitoes,
and bad texture cockroaches and flies
tooth decay
occurs when a hole formed
when the acid produced by
the bacteria (that
that interact
with sugar in our food)
dissolves the surface
surf of the
tooth