Bacteria+-+IB

toc __Introduction__ Bacteria is a living cell. It eats, breathes and moves just like us. In fact, it's on you right now. You eat it, you touch it, it´s everywhere! Don't worry. Bacteria can actually help you digest and destroy diseases. On the other hand bacteria can actually hurt you as well and make medicine weaker. Bacteria is more powerful than you think. = __The Structure of Bacteria__ = Bacteria comes in all different shapes and sizes, but is similar in many ways. The structure of bacteria starts with a **cell wall.** A cell wall protects the cell and helps it hold it's shape. Next is the **cell membrane.** This controls what comes in and out of the cell. Then there is a **cytoplasm**. The cytoplasm is a gel-ish texture that fills the cell. Inside the cytoplasm is the ribosomes that produce proteins. Also inside of the cytoplasm is a **genetic material** also known as **DNA** which looks like a string. It has instructions for how the cell works. Finally, there is **flagellum** also known as flagella, is a string looking structure which helps bacteria move. Itś on the outside of bacteria connecting to the cell wall. A bacteria cell could have many to no flagellum. If the bacteria has no flagella it would move with the air, objects, and water currents etc. around it. Bacteria also has three different shapes called **coccus**, **baci****llus**, or **spirillus**. Coccus is a circular shape. Bacillus is a oval shape, and lastly, spirillus is a spiral shape.These shapes help scientists determine the type of bacteria. For exam ple, esche richia, is a bacillus shaped bacteria and is found in your intestines. Or borrelia burgdorferi bacteria is a spirillus shaped bacteria which causes lyme disease. = __How Does Bacteria Live?__ = Bacteria are **autotrophs** which means they they make their own food 1 of 2 ways. One way they make their food is through the sun's light and make it into energy like plants. The others bacteria live in mud and have no sun available. So, it uses energy from chemical substances in their environment to make food. The food they make or eat from their enviorment is brokened down and forms into energy. This is called **respiration**. Most bacteria needs oxygen to break down food, but not all. To some bacteria oxogen can actually be poisonis, like bacteria that live in mud.

Bacteria is similar to us, it reproduces. It reproduces by a process called **binmedia type="youtube" key="j8_xoM8Wwgs" width="328" height="275" align="left"ary fussion**. That's when one cell divides into individual cells. Another form of reproduction of **asexual reproduction**. When a parent process offspring to an identical parent, each cell produced will get a complete copy of the parents cells and genetic material.

= = = = = = = = This video shows binary fussion. You can see the bacterial cell divinding into many individual cells. = = = __What Does Bacteria do to Us?__ =

Bacteria can do many good things for us, but it can also hurt us. If you have ever gotten sick you probably have taken an antibiotic to cure your sickness. In fact, antibiotics help you live about 10 years longer, but latlley there's been a problem. Antibiotic resistant bacteria are losing their effects because bacteria is outsmarting all this technology. This means antibiotics are not as strong anymore and might stop working. This means more people will catch sickness and they're might not be a medicine for it if the medicine loses it's battle against bacteria. This could lead to many problems in our world.

Don’t worry there's many good sides to bacteria as well. Bacteria helps you digest, destroy diseases and sickness. It also creates vitamins for our body that we need. “ Many bacteria help decompose (break down) dead organisms and animal wastes into simpler chemical compounds.” says the article Bacteria by __World Book__. This means bacteria breaks down bad stuff in our bodies that we don't need and releases it. Another reason bacteria is helpful is because when water is purified it is purified through plants that use bacteria to clean the water. If water wasn't purified we would not be able to drink it. So, without bacteria we wouldn't even be able to have water which is mandatory to our bodies.

= __How to Protect Yourself from Harmful Bacteria?__ =

Most harmful bacteria is protected by your skin and membranes. When harmful bacteria does enter your body white blood cells try to fight it. Also, **antibodies** which is produced by our blood also fight off harmful bacteria. If your body can not fight the bad bacteria, there is **vacines**. Vacines are a fliuid injected into your body. Acording to the article __Bacteria__ by __World Book__. “ Dead or weakened bacteria are used in making drugs called vaccines, which can prevent the diseases caused by those bacteria.” In this quote it is proven that vacines do kill bacteria. This quote also shows vacines intrestingly are made from previous, dead, bacteria that can help you.

= __Conclusion__ =

In conclusion, bacteria is everywhere! Even though you can’t see it or taste it, it’s still on everything you touch and eat. Some bacteria can help you in many ways like fighting disease and digestion. Others can harm you and actually make medicines not as effective. Don’t freak, out there's many ways your body prevents bad bacteria. Bacteria might not be big, but it’s definitly mighty.

Referenes

Attack of Super Bugs. YouTube. SciShow, 17 Apr. 2014. Web. 3 Mar. 2016. .

Jenner, Janann V., et al. From Bacteria to Plants. Needham: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.

Olsen, GJ 2016, ‘Bacteria’, World Book Student, World Book, Chicago, viewed 10 March 2016,

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Bacteria dividing - Binary Fission. Prod. Collin Riddell. YouTube. N.p., 9 Oct. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. .