Microbes

• Microbes/microorganisms are such organisms that can only be seen using an instrument called the microscope.
• Study of microorganisms is called microbiology.
• Scientists dealing with microbes are known as microbiologists
• Characteristics of microbes:

  • can survive in extreme environments.
  • to survive in such environments, they form a hard outer covering called a cyst, in which they remain inactive.
  • may occur as a single cell or found in clusters known as colonies.
  • may be beneficial or harmful.