General
What does a microbe do?
It affects the body's normal way of functioning.
Are plants microbes?
No, plants are not microbes.
Name a body part that defends against microbes.
Good!
There are more than 100 species of microbes.
True. There are trillions of microbes.
Were microbes around when dinosaurs first appeared?
Yes. They have been around for more than a billion years.
Can microbes infect other animals?
Yes, humans aren't the only ones that can get infected. They can also affect plants.
Are animals microbes?
No, animals are not considered microbes.
How do the mouth, nose, and trachea protect the body from invaders? List one reason.
Nice!
Microbes do better in a warm environment.
True. Some bacteria can live in the cold, but they thrive better in warmer conditions, mainly for reproduction purposes.
How big can the biggest microbes be?
They can be more than one centimetre long.
What is a microbe?
It is a microorganism that causes disease.
Are bacteria Microbes?
Yes, they fall into the microbe category.
How many layers of defence are there?
There are two.
There could be microbes on other planets.
True. There are probably ones frozen under ice on Mars.
How long can microbes survive in space (not on spaceships)?
Some can survive in space for more than a day.
About how big are microbes?
Every microbe is microscopic, but they are all different. There are no microbes that are identical in size.
Are fungi microbes?
Yes, fungi are one of the four main categories of microbes.
Why do Microbes infect us?
So they can reproduce.
All Microbes are living.
False. Viruses are considered microbes, but are not living.
About how many microbes are in the human body?
About 10-100 trillion.
How long does a microbe live?
About 12-24 hours.
Are algae microbes?
Yes, algae are considered microbes.
How long does it take for the immune system to respond to invaders?
About 3-7 days.
All Microbes are single-celled.
False. Some, like fungi, are multicellular
About how big are microbes?
About 1-5 micrometers.