Bacteria in the human digestive system
I can describe the important roles of bacteria in the human digestive system.
Bacteria in the human digestive system
I can describe the important roles of bacteria in the human digestive system.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Bacteria are living organisms; each bacterium is a microorganism made of a single living cell.
- Some bacteria are pathogens that cause diseases, but many bacteria are harmless and some are helpful.
- Helpful bacteria live inside the human digestive system.
- They release enzymes that digest food we cannot digest ourselves.
- They also help to protect us against pathogens that enter the digestive system by competing against them.
Common misconception
All bacteria are bad for us and make us unwell.
The lesson looks at how helpful bacteria in the gut help us digest our food, provide vitamins, and outcompete harmful bacteria.
Keywords
Bacteria - Bacteria are unicellular organisms.
Microorganism - A microorganism is an organism that can only be seen using a microscope.
Pathogen - A pathogen is a microorganism that causes disease.
Enzyme - An enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up the rate of reaction such as digestion.
Competition - Competition occurs between living organisms, e.g. bacteria competes for food and space to live.
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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