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Microorganisms: Friend and Foe Class 8 Notes Science Chapter 2

The document discusses microorganisms and provides details about types of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. It describes how some microorganisms can be helpful as friends by breaking down waste, producing foods and antibiotics, while others can be harmful as foes by causing diseases. It lists examples of diseases caused by different microorganisms in humans, cattle and plants. It also discusses food preservation methods and the nitrogen cycle.

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1K views

Microorganisms: Friend and Foe Class 8 Notes Science Chapter 2

The document discusses microorganisms and provides details about types of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. It describes how some microorganisms can be helpful as friends by breaking down waste, producing foods and antibiotics, while others can be harmful as foes by causing diseases. It lists examples of diseases caused by different microorganisms in humans, cattle and plants. It also discusses food preservation methods and the nitrogen cycle.

Uploaded by

zodika khiangte
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Microorganisms: Friend and Foe

Class 8 Notes Science Chapter 2


April 25, 2019 by Sastry CBSE

CBSE Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 2 Microorganisms: Friend and Foe Pdf free
download is part of Class 8 Science Notes for Quick Revision. Here we have given
NCERT Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 2 Microorganisms: Friend and Foe.

CBSE Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 2


Microorganisms: Friend and Foe
Microorganisms are too small and are not visible with the naked eye.

They can live in all kinds of environment, ranging from ice cold climate to hot springs,
deserts and marshy lands.

Microorganisms are found in air, water and in the bodies of plants and animals.

They may be unicellular or multicellular.

Microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, protozoa and some algae. Viruses though
different from the above-mentioned living organisms are referred to as microbes.

Viruses are quite different from other microorganisms. They reproduce only inside
the cells of the host organism: bacterium, plant or animal.

Friendly Microorganisms
The bacterium, Lactobacillus converts milk into curd.

Bacteria are also involved in the making of cheese, pickles and many other food
items.

Acetobacter aceti bacteria is used for the production of acetic acid from alcohol.

Yeast is used for commercial production of alcohol and wine by growing them on
natural sugars present in grains like barley, wheat, rice and crushed fruit juices etc.

Antibiotics are manufactured by growing specific microorganisms and are used to


cure a variety of diseases.
Some microorganisms reside in the root nodules of leguminous plants. They can fix
atmospheric nitrogen from the air into the soil and increase soil fertility.

Specialized bacteria convert nitrates and nitrites present in the soil into nitrogen gas
which is released in the atmosphere.

Some microorganisms decompose organic wastes like dead plants and animals into
simple substances and clean up the environment.

Harmful Microorganisms
The bacterium, Lactobacillus converts milk into curd.

Disease-causing microorganisms are called pathogens.

Common ailments like cold, influenza (flu) and most coughs are caused by viruses.
Serious diseases like polio and chicken pox are also caused by viruses.

Diseases like dysentery and malaria are caused by protozoans.

Typhoid and tuberculosis (TB) are caused due to bacteria.

Some common diseases, their modes of transmission and preventive measures are
given below.
Some Common Human Diseases Caused by Microorganisms

Foot and mouth disease of cattle is caused by a virus. Anthrax, a bacterial disease is
very fatal for human and cattle.

Some common diseases caused by plants by microorganisms are given below.

Some of the Common Plant Diseases

Plant Diseases Microorganism Mode of Transmission

Citrus Canker Bacteria Air

Rust of wheat Fungi Insects and seeds

Yellow vein mosaic of bhindi (okra) Virus Insect

Food Poisoning: Microorganisms that grow on our food sometimes produce toxic


substances. These make the food poisonous and result in serious illness and even
death.

Food Preservation
Salts, sugar, edible oils and vinegar are the common chemicals generally used to
check the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, they are called preservatives.

Heat and cold treatments also inhibit the growth of microbes.

Pasteurization of Milk: The milk is heated to 70°C for 15 seconds and then


suddenly chilled and stored. Such milk is referred to as. pasteurized milk.

Symbiotic bacterium: Rhizobium helps in the fixation of nitrogen with the root of the
leguminous plant. The action of lighting also helps into the fixation of nitrogen.

Nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen from the atmosphere is converted into nitrogen


compounds by some bacteria like rhizobium and blue-green algae present in the soil
and also by lightning. On the other hand, certain other bacteria present in the soil
convert nitrogen compounds into nitrogen gas that is released to the atmosphere.

Algae: A group of plants which is mostly aquatic. They are autotrophs (i.e., have
chlorophyll). Their body is not divided into root, stem and leaf.

Antibiotics: The medicines that kill or stop the growth of disease-causing


microorganisms are called antibiotics.

Bacteria: Bacteria are single-celled microorganism. They can be seen only under a


microscope. Their cells are prokaryotic (primitive type).

Carrier: The organisms which carry the pathogen from a diseased person to a


healthy person are called carriers. For example, female Anopheles mosquito.

Communicable Diseases: Microbial diseases that can be spread from an infected


person to a healthy person through the air, water, food or physical contact are called
communicable diseases.

Fermentation: The process of conversion of sugar into alcohol by yeast is called


fermentation.

Fungi: Fungi are non-green plants. They cannot synthesize their own food. They
may be unicellular or multicellular.

Lactobacillus: Lactobacillus is the bacteria responsible for the formation of curd


from milk.

Microorganisms: These are organisms that are too small and are not visible to the
naked eye. These include a virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and some algae.
Nitrogen Cycle: A process (cycle) by which the amount of nitrogen remains
constant in the atmosphere is known as the nitrogen cycle.

Nitrogen Fixation: The process of conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into its


usable forms is called nitrogen fixation.

Pasteurisation: The process in which milk is heated to about 70°C for 15 to 30


seconds and then suddenly cooled.

Pathogen: Disease-causing microorganisms are called pathogens.

Preservation: Prevention of spoiling of food from the action of microorganisms is


called food preservation.

Protozoa: Protozoa are unicellular animals.

Rhizobium: Rhizobium is a bacterium which lives in the root nodules of leguminous


plants. This helps in the fixation of nitrogen.

Vaccine: The substance which is injected to trigger the body to develop its own
defence (by producing antibodies) is called vaccine.

Virus: Viruses are living only inside other living cells. They are considered as
connecting link between living and non-living.

Yeast: Yeast is a unicellular fungus.

We hope the given CBSE Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 2 Microorganisms: Friend
and Foe Pdf free download will help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT
Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 2 Microorganisms: Friend and Foe, drop a comment
below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

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