Microbiology For Kids! Trivia Quiz

Answer: a cell

Hooke described the cell which is the functional and structural building block for all living things. A bacterium is a very small single-celled organism. An element is a pure substance consisting of only a single type of atom. A molecule is a group of atoms joined together that have no net electrical charge.

Answer: Anton van Leeuwenhoek

Anton van Leeuwenhoek used glass lenses to inspect cloth. He used this knowledge to make the first microscope, an instrument that could magnify the microscopic world 270 times their actual size. The other three scientists were very special and each invented many items but none of them worked with microscopes and microorganisms like Mr van Leeuwenhoek.

Answer: Animalcules

Anton van Leeuwenhoek looked at many things under the microscope including water, teeth scrapings, minerals and blood.

Answer: Wash your hands to prevent contaminating the food

In 1840 Ignaz Semmelweis proved that washing hands could prevent the spread of infection. Today this is still the best way to prevent spreading an infection from one person to another.

Answer: Pasteurization

Pasteurization is a method where milk is heated for a set time to kill all the microbes but not damage the milk. Homogenization is a method for distributing the cream evenly throughout the milk. Refrigeration is a process where by keeping the temperature of food cool it slows down (but does not stop) the growth of microbes in any particular food. Filtration is a method where you have a barrier to let through some particles or liquid through but not others

Answer: An Atom

An atom is the smallest element that comprises all matter. The other three are all microbes. The virus is the smallest, a bacterium is a bit smaller than a red blood cell and a yeast is the largest of the three microbes.

Answer: Both of these

in 1867 Joseph Lister decribed Aseptic Technique in surgery and how it prevented infections developing in surgical wounds. This included the surgeon scrubbing any exposed skin with soap to remove any bacteria before operating and by covering up skin and other body parts with gloves, gowns and masks.

Answer: Instruments that are free from microbes

Sterilization means free from microbial contamination. Washing instruments will not remove all bacteria. Instruments that look clean may not be sterile as microbes are too small to be seen by the eye. For instruments to be sterile, they must be subjected to both high temperature and pressure for 10-15 minutes depending on what is being sterilized.

Answer: Penicillin

Fleming discovered penicillin by accident. He observed that a bacterial culture grew on a culture plate but not near a fungus that was contaminating part of the plate. He postulated that the fungus contained a substance that inhibited the growth of bacteria. Later this substance was found to be penicillin. Erythromycin, ampicillin and tetracycline are all antibiotics but were discovered after penicillin.

Answer: French Fries

The process of fermentation means that a microbe uses the sugars in a substance and the product left adds to the taste of a product. Wine is made by bacteria fermenting the sugars in grapes. Bread is made by yeast fermenting the sugar in flour. Yoghurt is made by the fermentation of lactose (milk sugar) in milk. French fries are just fried potato strips.