Microbiology

An organism that relies upon organic compounds for its carbon & energy needs.

A microorganism that requires only inorganic nutrients and whose sole source of carbon is carbon dioxide

Microbes that use photosynthesis to feed.

Organism that oxidizes compounds to feed on nutrients.

An organism that utilizes light for its energy and carbon dioxide chiefly for its carbon needs.

An organism that relies upon inorganic chemicals for its energy & carbon dioxide for its carbon. A.K.A. chemolithotroph

Bacteria that rely on inorganic minerals to supply their nutritional needs.

Microbes that produce methane gas.

Microorganisms that derive their nutritional needs from organic compounds.

A microbe that decomposes organic remains from dead organisms. A.K.A. saprophyle or saprotroph

An organism that lives on or within another organism (the host), from which it obtains nutrients & enjoys protection. Parasite produce some degree of harm in the host.

Any agent, usually a virus, bacterium, fungus, protozoan, or helminth, that causes disease.

The dispersal of molecules, ions, or microscopic particles propelled down a concentration gradient by spontaneous random motion to achieve a uniform distribution.

Nutrient transport method that follows basic physical laws & doesn't require direct energy input from the cell.

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane in the direction of lower water concentration.

2 solutions having the same osmotic pressure such that, when separated by a semipermeable membrane there's no net movement of solvent in either direction.

Having a lower osmotic pressure than a reference solution.

Having a greater osmotic pressure than a reference solution.

The passive movement of a substance across a plasma membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration utilizing specialized carrier proteins.

Nutrient transport method that requires carrier proteins in the membranes of the living cells and the expenditure of energy.

A form of active transport in which the substance being transported is altered during transfer across a plasma membrane.

The process whereby solid & liquid materials are taken into the cell through membrane invagination & engulfment into a vesicle.

A type of endocytosis in which the cell membrane actively engulfs large particles or cells into vesicles. Phagocyte-a cell specialized for doing this.

The engulfment, or endocytosis, of liquids by entensions of the cell membrane.

An intimate association between individuals from two species; used as a synonym for mutualism.

Organisms living in an obligatory, but mutually beneficial relationship.

An unequal relationship in which one species derives benefit without harming the other.

Parasite is dependent & benefits from host. The host is harmed.

A complex association that arises from microorganisms growing together & interacting on the surface of a habitat.

The formation of two new cells of approximately equal size as the result of parent cell division.

Time required for a complete fission cycle-from parent cell to 2 new daughter cells. A.K.A. Doubling Time

Pertaining to the use of exponents, numbers that are typically written as superscripts to indicate how many times a factor is to be multiplied. Exponents are used in scientific notation to render large numbers into small workable quantities.

A graphical rep. of the change in population size over time. This graph has 4 periods known as lag phase, exponential or log phase, stationary phase, and death phase.

The early phase of population growth during which no signs of growth occur.

A period during which the curve increases geometrically. It will continue as long as cells have adequate nutrients & the environment is favorable.

Survival mode in which cells either stop growing or grow very slowly.

End of cell growth die to lack of nutrition, depletion of environment, & accumultaion of wastes. Population of cells begins to die.