Lesson 2 of 10
Four kinds, not one word
Show on a big screenIn daily talk, a "germ" is a microbe that makes us ill. That one word covers very different living things.
A nucleus is the part that controls a cell.
Step 1 of 5
- Four kinds of microbe. Each has its own clue.
- Bacteria: one cell. No proper nucleus.
- Fungi: one cell, or many threads.
- Protozoa: one cell. Many move about.
- Virus: not a cell. It needs a host.
The rule
A cell is the basic building unit of life. To multiply is to make more of the same kind of thing. A host is the living thing a virus multiplies inside.
Bacteria and protozoa are single cells. A fungus is one cell (yeast) or many threads (mould). A virus is not a cell. It multiplies only inside a host.
| Kind | Where you meet it |
|---|---|
| Bacteria | Curd, soil, your gut |
| Fungi | Rising dough, mould on bread |
| Protozoa | Pond water (Amoeba, Paramecium) |
| Viruses | Inside a host cell |
A bacterium has a nucleoid and no well-defined nucleus. A nucleoid does the job of a nucleus but has no covering.
Drag each clue to its kind.
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