New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition)

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% Chapter 3 Harmful effects of

microorganisms

Structured questions

[10178054] Cross-topic Data interpretation Comparison

* The oxygen concentration of milk decreases when bacteria grow in the milk. A
dye can be used to detect the oxygen concentration in the milk. As the oxygen
concentration deceases, the colour of the dye added to the milk changes as
below:
blue → pink → white

In an investigation, the growth of bacteria in three milk samples (X, Y and Z)

was studied. 10 cm3 of each milk sample was added to a test tube and 1 cm3 of
the dye was added to each tube. The three tubes were then sealed and put in a
water bath at 30 °C for 120 minutes. The diagram below shows the set-ups of the
experiment.

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The colours of the mixtures in the tubes were recorded at 30-minute intervals.
The table below shows the results.
Colour of mixture
Time (min)
X Y Z
0 Blue Blue Blue
30 Blue Blue Pink
60 Blue Blue White
90 Blue Pink White
120 Blue Pink White

a Explain why the colours of the mixtures in some of the tubes changed after
120 minutes. (1 mark)
b If a person leaves the three kinds of milk at 30 °C for 120 minutes, drinking
which of them is most likely to cause food-borne infection? Explain your
answer. (4 marks)
c How would the time taken for the mixture containing Y to turn pink be
different if the milk was incubated at 20 °C instead of 30 °C. Explain your
answer. (3 marks)
d Cheese is made from milk, but it can be kept for a longer time than milk.
Explain why. (2 marks)

-- answer --
a Oxygen was used by the bacteria in the milk for aerobic respiration. 1m
b Z 1m
In the investigation, the colour of the mixture containing Z changed to white after
120 minutes, while the colour of the mixture containing Y changed to pink and the
colour of the mixture containing X remained changed. 1m
This means the oxygen concentration in Z was the lowest. 1m
The number of bacteria in Z would be the highest after the milk is left for
120 minutes. Thus, Z is most likely to cause food-borne infection. 1m
c The time taken for the mixture to turn pink would be longer. 1m
The growth rate of the bacteria would become lower at a lower temperature.1m
Thus, oxygen in the mixture would be used at a lower rate. 1m
d Cheese has a much lower water content than milk. 1m
The growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage is slowed down when there is
insufficient water supply. Thus, cheese can be kept for a longer time than milk.
1m

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Question Bank – New Questions

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New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition) E3: Chapter 3
Question Bank – New Questions

[10178061] Cross-topic High order thinking

* Salmonella typhimurium is a bacterium which usually lives in the intestines of

chickens. It may lead to food-borne infection when people consume food
contaminated with it. There is usually a time interval of several hours between
ingesting the contaminated food and the appearance of the signs of infection.
Signs of infection include diarrhoea and vomiting.
a Explain why there is usually a time interval between ingesting the
contaminated food and the appearance of the signs of infection. (1 mark)
b A toxin produced by S. typhimurium causes epithelial cells in the intestines
to secrete sodium ions and chloride ions into the lumen. Explain why
infection of S. typhimurium would result in diarrhoea. (3 marks)
c Antibiotics are given for only severe cases of S. typhimurium infection.
Give two reasons. (2 marks)
d John bought a frozen chicken for dinner. He defrosted the chicken at room
temperature for 6 hours and then cooked it medium rare. He suffered from
food-borne infection the next day. State two actions of John that may have
caused him to develop the food-borne infection. Explain your answer.
(4 marks)

-- answer --
a It takes time for S. typhimurium to multiply into a sufficient number that causes the
signs of infection. 1m
b As epithelial cells in the intestines secrete sodium ions and chloride ions into the
lumen, the water potential of the cells becomes higher than that of the lumen.
1m
Water moves out of the cells into the lumen by osmosis. 1m
As a result, faeces become watery. 1m
c Antibiotics kill the bacteria in the intestines that are beneficial to our body. The
intestines may be infected again by pathogens after recovery. 1m
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics may speed up the development of antibiotic
resistance in the bacteria. 1m
d He defrosted the chicken at room temperature for 6 hours. 1m
Pathogens multiplied to a large number in the chicken during this period. 1m
He cooked the chicken medium rare. 1m
Some of the pathogens in the chicken were not killed. 1m
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