Reproduction and Life Outside a Cell

Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction

*Why do organisms reproduce?

All living things are genetically programmed to reproduce, to intake nutrients and the instinct to reproduce as well. If they did not, life would simply not exist.

*How does asexual reproduction differ from sexual reproduction?

Asexual reproduction is when an organism can reproduce by itself without a partner. Sexual Reproduction is where a male and female of a particular species mate using their respective reproductive organs.

*What advantages does sexual reproduction offer a species?

The main advantage would be variation, as the offspring will carry characteristics from both parents. Also, it improved defense against parasites and diseases.

Bacteria: Life Inside One Cell.

1) List three places bacteria can be found. (3 points) .

1. Hands

2. Cow's Stomach

3. Mouth/Teeth

2) A bacterium that lives in the deep ocean vents where hot, mineral rich water and lava emerge from the ocean floor would be classified into what domain of bacteria? (2 points)

Archaebacteria Domain

3) Explain how endospores have allowed some bacteria, like tetanus, to be a successful species. (5 points)

The endospore has a hard outer covering that protects the bacteria from drying out in heat and even from harsh chemicals while allowing the bacterium which is inside the endospore to slow down its life processes and prevents it from reproducing. But when the environmental conditions improves again, the bacteria is released from the endospore and contine life as normal.

4) Compare and contrast binary fission and conjugation; list at least two ways they are alike and two ways they are different. (5 points)

Binary Fission is considered a type of asexual reproduction. Whereas, Conjugation is considered as another type of bacterial reproduction. They both deals with separating into smaller pieces but by different means and occurs in the Prokaryotes, sinle cells. The Binary Fission do not exchange all or part of their chromosomes such as Conjugation does. Conjugation can for many new bacterium but the Binary Fission only clones it's bacteria