Bacteria+-+OT

=__Introduction__= Bacteria are like the wheels of a car. Without the wheels we cannot move or get around. Without bacteria we could not survive. They are living everywhere on our skin, in our food, and in our bodies. Although there are some very harmful bacteria, there is helpful bacteria too. Not only do they help us survive, they help the other organisms on earth survive. = =

=__What Are the Structures of Bacteria?__=

Bacteria has a very simple structure which means that they can **mutate** very quickly. This means that bacteria can change its from the the way it looks very fast. But not all bacteria are the same. Bacteria has many types of shapes and sizes. But most of the common forms are rods, spheres, and spirals. Since they all have different forms, they have different ways of moving too. Many bacteria move by being carried by the air. But the other bacteria have ** flagellum **.  Flagellum is a whip-like structure that helps some types of bacteria move around.  Flagellum is almost like a helicopter. The flagellum moves the cell by spinning in place like propellers. This helps the bacteria to build momentum and move like propellers do for the helicopter. The flagella is s urrounded by the pilis. The pilis look like little hairs and they are above the capsule and the cell wall. Both of these layers protect the inner parts of the cell. Moving into the cell is the, membrane and cytoplasm. The membrane controls what comes in and out of the cell. Then moving inside of the membrane are the ribosomes, which create protein for the cell, and the DNA.

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= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =__How Does Bacteria Function?__=

In order for bacteria to survive, they need food just like humans. We need energy from food to help carry out our functions. Most types of bacteria cannot create their own food, So therefore they must eat other organisms or food that the other organisms create. These types of bacteria are called **heterotrophs**. The other types of bacteria create their own food. Bacteria that are **autotrophs** create their own food by either trapping the sun's energy or trapping energy form the chemicals in their environment. B acteria has many different types of environments and they can survive on any place on earth including on other organisms. Bacteria can survive in negative one hundred degrees Fahrenheit or even over four hundred degrees Fahrenheit. They live everywhere including everywhere we touch and live, in our food, our houses, outside our bodies, and even on the inside of our bodies. There is almost ten times as many bacteria cells as human cells in the body and over 5 ma- million (5 followed by thirty zeros) in the entire world.

=__How Does Bacteria Help Us Survive?__=

Bacteria is one of the reasons why we are alive today. They were one of the first organisms alive and over a million years ago- they created the oxygen that we breathe in today. Bacteria also helps us eat everyday. Not only is it in the food that we eat- it helps us eat it. Bacteria breaks down the molecules that the body cannot digest by itself. Bacteria also breaks down these molecules in animals too. For example, they break down molecules in a cow’s stomach. Since the bacteria was able to do this, the cow is able to produce our meat and milk. According to world book online, "Bacteria in soil and water play a vital role in recycling carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and other chemical elements used by living things. Many bacteria help decompose (break down) dead organisms and animal wastes into simpler chemical compounds. Other bacteria help change chemical elements into forms that can be used by plants and animals. For example, certain kinds of bacteria convert nitrogen in the air and soil into nitrogen compounds used by plants Bacteria in soil and water play a vital role in recycling carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and other chemical elements used by living things. Many bacteria help decompose (break down) dead organisms and animal wastes into simpler chemical compounds. Other bacteria help change chemical elements into forms that can be used by plants and animals. For example, certain kinds of bacteria convert nitrogen in the air and soil into nitrogen compounds used by plants." Although bacteria is very helpful to us, there are still some bad types of bacteria that can harm us.

=**__How Does Bacteria Threaten Our Survival?__**=

Although there are many kind of bacteria that are helpful to us, there are very harmful types of bacteria too. Ebola is a very rare and deadly disease without a specific cure. Although there are some drugs to help slow it down there isn't a medicine that can make it go away. Ebola is not the only virus like this. HIV and Aids is a virus where the virus turns your immune system against you and causes your immune system to not be able to fight against an illness. This virus doesn't have a long-term cure either but it does have a medicine to help the process slow down. Not only that but, bacteria is now becoming resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotics is the medicine that kills off the harmful bacteria. but unfortunately some bacteria has already become resistant. Too much antibiotics helps the bacteria find a way to win the battle. Picture our cells as the knights and the bacteria as the enemies. The more fights you have with the same army, they're going to figure out your weakness and you might eventually lose. If antibiotics might not be able to kill off the bacteria, it could be a critical problem.

=__Conclusion__= Without bacteria, the world would not be like it is today. Bacteria made the earth a livable environment for organisms and helps all organisms function and live. Although some bacteria can cause serious problems, doctors are creating medication to help kill the viruses and harmful bacteria. Overall we have bacteria to thank for not just only our world but for our existance.

=__References:__=

Works Cited Bacteria. Brainpop. BrainPOP, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. . “Bacteria Cell Diagram.” Google. google, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. . Bacteria: Tiny Talents Discovery Education, 2005. Video Segment Discovery Education. Web. 17/2/2016. . “The Facts about Ebola.” CNN.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. . Olsen, Gary J. “Bacteria.” World Book Student. World Book, 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. Science Explorer. N.p.: Prentice Hall, n.d. Print.

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