NCERT Science for class 8 Chapter 2 Microorganism

NCERT Science for class 8 Chapter 2 Microorganism

In this article, we will discuss the topic of Class 8 Science. We have already discussed microorganism and its types. We will now discuss ‘the uses of microorganism’.

Microorganisms benefit us in a number of ways. Their uses can be divided into four categories: commercial, medicinal, agricultural, and environmental.

Commercial uses are listed as below :-

• Making curd and cheese – A protein called casein present in milk coagulates to form a curd. For casein to coagulate the milk has to be made acidic. A bacterium called Lactobacillus, present in the spoonful of curd added to the milk converts the lactose sugar present in milk to lactic acid.The process of conversion of a sugar into an acid or an alcohol by the action of microorganism is called fermentation.
• Making alcoholic beverages – Production of alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine involves fermentation of sugar present in barley, grapes, etc. by a microscopic fungus called yeast.
• Making bread – The process of making bread involves kneading a mixture of flour, salt,sugar, yeast cells, and water into the dough. Yeast converts sugar to an alcohol and carbon dioxide as more and more carbon dioxide is produced, the dough rises in volume.
• Making Vinegar,coffee, and tobacco – Bacteria are used in the production of vinegar. It is also used in the processing of tea,coffee, and tobacco.
• Making toothpaste – Shells of diatoms are used in toothpaste to give it a gritty texture that helps in cleaning teeth.

Medicinal Uses

• Making antibiotics – Certain bacteria and fungi are used in the production of medicines called antibiotics that destroy certain disease-causing microbes. Antibiotics are used to control microbial disease in animals and plants.
• Making Vaccines – When a disease causing microbe entersintothe body,our body produces substances called antibodies.A vaccine is a preparation of killed or weakened disease causing microbe. Vaccines help in preventing disease caused by microbes.
• Making food supplements
• In human body – They help to digest food and destroy disease causing microbes.

Environmental Uses

A microbe, such as bacteria and fungi act on dead bodies of dead plants and animals, converts them into simple substances. Removal of dead bodies keeps our planets clean. Bacteria are also used in sewage treatment where they help in the decay of waste organic matter.

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