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Bacteria Definition

Bacteria are single-celled organisms that reproduce quickly, some causing diseases. For example, salmonella can result from undercooked food.

View Lesson on Bacteria & Viruses
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Bacteria & Viruses

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Bacteria cells can split every 20 minutes, rapidly increasing in number.
  • Cheese is made when bacteria break down milk.
  • Bacteria are found almost everywhere on Earth, including in the soil, on your skin, inside your body, and even in your poop!

Why Do We Need To Know About Bacteria

Learning about bacteria helps us see how important they are in everyday life and in many jobs. Bacteria help make foods like cheese, sauerkraut, and yogurt, which is cool for those interested in cooking and food science.

Bacteria are also used in medicine to create new antibiotics and in making biofuels for energy. This shows how knowing about bacteria can lead to careers in science, health, and more.  Bacteria are important to our world and jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know if something is living or nonliving?
Living things must take in nutrients, have genetic material, and reproduce.
What is a common way that bacteria and viruses are spread?
Bacteria and viruses can spread easily by touching.
Where can you find bacteria?
You can find bacteria everywhere! They are in the soil, on your skin, inside your body, and even in your poop! Bacteria grow together and are most often found in groups, called colonies.
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