🌍 Chapter 2: The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye
📌 What Are Microorganisms?
🔹 Definition:
Microorganisms are very tiny living organisms that are made up of one or a few cells. They are
so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye.
🔹 Types:
Unicellular (single-celled): e.g. Bacteria, Amoeba
Multicellular (many-celled): e.g. Some fungi, algae
🔹 Where are they found?
In water, soil, air, and even inside our bodies.
Found in extreme conditions (hot water springs, cold zones, etc.)
🔹 Tools to Observe:
Microscope and Foldscope (a low-cost, foldable microscope)
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📌 How Are We Connected to Microbes?
🔹 Microorganisms are everywhere:
Found in food, water, soil, air
Cause food spoilage (e.g. rotting fruit)
🔹 Why pickles/murabbas don’t spoil?
High concentration of salt or sugar acts as a preservative, preventing microbial growth.
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📌 2.4.1 Key Players in Cleaning the Environment
🔹 Role of Microorganisms:
Decompose dead plants and animals
Break down waste into manure (nutrient-rich)
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📌 2.4.2 Microorganisms and Food
🔹 Use in Kitchen:
Yeast makes dough soft and fluffy
Lactobacillus helps form curd and ferment idli/dosa batter
🔹 Important Activities:
Yeast in flour (rising dough)
Curd formation in warm vs cold milk
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📌 2.4.3 Amazing Microalgae: Tiny Helpers in Water
🔹 Definition:
Microalgae are microscopic plant-like organisms that live in water and perform photosynthesis.
🔹 Importance:
Produce oxygen (over 50% of Earth's supply)
Source of nutrients
Used as food supplements, medicines, and biofuel
🔹 Examples:
Spirulina, Chlorella, Diatoms
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📌 2.5 Why Is Cell Considered the Basic Unit of Life?
🔹 Cell: Basic building block of life
Carries out life functions
🔹 Types of Organisms:
Unicellular: Bacteria, Protozoa (e.g. Amoeba, Paramecium)
Multicellular: Algae, fungi (e.g. mould, yeast)
📌How Is a Cell the Basic Unit of Life?
The cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of life.
Levels of Organisation
Cell → Tissue → Organ → Organ System → Organism
Unicellular organisms: Single cell performs all functions (e.g., bacteria, protozoa).
Multicellular organisms: Specialized cells form tissues/organs (plants, animals).
📌 Structure of Plant and Animal Cells
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Animal Cell
● Cell membrane: Semi-permeable boundary.
● Nucleus: Controls activities; contains genetic material.
● Cytoplasm: Jelly-like matrix; site of metabolic processes.
● Small vacuoles: If present, store water & waste.
● Mitochondria: Powerhouse, site of respiration.
Plant Cell
● Cell wall: Rigid outer covering (cellulose) for support.
● Cell membrane: Inside cell wall.
● Nucleus
● Cytoplasm
● Large central vacuole: Stores water, nutrients; maintains shape.
● Plastids (chloroplasts): Contain chlorophyll; photosynthesis.
● Mitochondria
🌱 Plant Cell vs 🐾 Animal Cell
Feature Plant Cell 🌱 Animal Cell 🐾
Cell Wall Present – gives shape and support Absent
Cell Membrane Present inside the cell wall Present
Nucleus Present Present
Vacuole Large central vacuole Small and many
Plastids (Chloroplast) Present – for photosynthesis Absent
Shape Usually rectangular or box-like Usually round or irregular
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🔬 Parts of a Cell –
1. Cell Wall – A rigid outer layer in plant cells that provides protection and support.
2. Cell Membrane – A thin covering that controls what enters and leaves the cell.
3. Nucleus – The control center of the cell that contains DNA.
4. Cytoplasm – A jelly-like substance where all cell organelles are suspended.
5. Vacuole – A storage space in the cell for water, food, and waste.
6. Chloroplast – Contains chlorophyll and helps plant cells make food through photosynthesis.
7. Mitochondria – Known as the powerhouse of the cell, it produces energy.
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📌 Be a Scientist: Dr. Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty
Developed a bacterium to clean oil spills
Received a patent in 1980
Used microbes to solve environmental issues
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📌 Microbes as a Source of Biogas
Some bacteria produce methane during decomposition
Anaerobic bacteria decompose organic waste → mixture of CO₂ + CH₄ (methane).
Methane is used as fuel for cooking, electricity, and vehicles
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📌 Our Scientific Heritage
Ancient Indian texts (e.g. Vedas) mention ‘Krimi’ (microbes)
Described as Drishya (visible) and Adrishya (invisible)
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📌 Microorganisms Found in Soil and Water
Table 2.1: Organisms in Pond Water
Amoeba, Paramecium (Protozoa)
Algae (green pigment, photosynthetic)
Table 2.2: Organisms in Soil Suspension
Bread mould (fungi)
Mould (fungi)
Algae
Bacteria (spherical, rod, spiral)
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📌 Viruses – Ever Heard Of...
Microscopic, acellular (not made of cells)
Infect plants, animals, bacteria
Multiply only inside living cells
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📌 Spirulina – The Superfood
A microalga, rich in protein and Vitamin B12
Spirulina—green filamentous alga, ~60% protein by weight.
Easy to grow, useful for food security and livelihood
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❓ Questions and Answers
🔸 Definitions
1. What are microorganisms?
Microorganisms are very tiny living beings made of one or few cells that cannot be seen with the
naked eye.
2. What is manure?
A nutrient-rich substance formed when microorganisms decompose organic waste.
3. What is Spirulina?
A microalga, rich in protein and vitamins, known as a superfood.
4. What is a unicellular organism?
An organism made up of a single cell that performs all life processes.
5. What is a patent?
A legal right given to an inventor to stop others from copying or selling the invention without
permission.
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🔸 Short Answer Questions
6. Give two examples each of unicellular and multicellular microorganisms.
Unicellular: Bacteria, Amoeba
Multicellular: Mould, Algae
7. How do pickles and murabbas stay preserved?
Due to the high concentration of salt or sugar that prevents microbial growth.
8. Name any two food items made using yeast.
Bread, cake
9. How does yeast make dough rise?
Yeast ferments sugar to release carbon dioxide, forming bubbles and making the dough fluffy.
10. What is the role of Rhizobium bacteria?
Lives in root nodules of legumes and fixes nitrogen from the air to increase soil fertility.
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🔸 Long Answer Questions
11. Explain how microorganisms help in cleaning the environment.
Microorganisms decompose dead plants and animals into simpler substances. These become
part of the soil and increase its fertility. They also break down animal waste and help in manure
formation.
12. How is Spirulina useful for humans and the environment?
Spirulina is rich in nutrients and protein, used as a food supplement. It also helps produce
oxygen and serves as a source of biofuel.
13. Explain the curd formation activity (Activity 2.9).
Warm milk with added curd forms curd faster due to the action of Lactobacillus. Cold milk delays
this process.
14. Describe the importance of microorganisms in food production.
Microorganisms like yeast and Lactobacillus are used in making bread, cakes, curd, idli, dosa,
etc., by fermentation processes.
15. What did Dr. Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty invent?
He developed a bacterium to break down oil spills and got a patent for it, helping in
environmental cleaning.
Solved Exercise Questions (End-of-Chapter)
Q3. One farmer adds nitrogen-rich fertiliser; the neighbour grows legumes which host
Rhizobium bacteria in root nodules to fix nitrogen naturally.
Q4. Snehal’s pits A (with dried leaves) vs B (without): Testing the role of organic matter +
microbes in manure formation.
Q5. Identify the microorganisms: (i) Bacteria (live everywhere, inside gut)
(ii) Yeast (makes bread soft)
(iii) Rhizobium (in roots of pulses)
Q6. Experiment Design: 3 setups with sterile soil + fruit peels, varying (a) moisture, (b) air
access (covered vs open), (c) temperature. Observe microbial growth/decomposition.
Q7. Bread slice near sink (warm, moist): mould appears in 2–3 days. In refrigerator (cold):
little/no mould.
Reason: Warmth & moisture favour microbial growth; low temperature slows it.
Q8. Curd left out longer becomes sourer because (i) Lactobacillus continue to produce lactic
acid; (ii) other acid‑forming bacteria may grow.
Q9. Experimental setup (Fig. 2.15): Warm sugar solution + yeast in Flask A, gas bubbled into
lime water in B.
1. Flask A: Solution turns cloudy; bubbles of gas form.
2. Lime water (Tube B): Turns milky, indicating CO₂.
3. Reason: Yeast ferments sugar → CO₂ released.
4. Without yeast: No fermentation; no gas; lime water remains clear