Here Are 50 Multiple-Choice Questions (Mcqs) About
MICROBES AND THEIR RELEVANCE TO HUMAN WELFARE
Class 12
Indian Syllabus 2023
1. Which group of microbes is commonly used in the fermentation process for
making bread and alcoholic beverages?
a) Bacteria
b) Fungi
c) Viruses
d) Protozoa
**Answer: b) Fungi**
2. The process of converting milk into curd is mainly carried out by which type of
microorganism?
a) Bacteria
b) Fungi
c) Viruses
d) Algae
**Answer: a) Bacteria**
3. Which microbe is responsible for the production of antibiotics like penicillin?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Streptomyces
d) Pseudomonas aeruginosa
**Answer: c) Streptomyces**
4. Nitrogen-fixation in leguminous plants is facilitated by which type of microbes?
a) Bacteria
b) Fungi
c) Algae
d) Protozoa
**Answer: a) Bacteria**
5. Which microbe is used to produce citric acid and other organic acids through
fermentation?
a) Lactobacillus
b) Saccharomyces
c) Acetobacter
d) Aspergillus niger
**Answer: d) Aspergillus niger**
6. Which microorganism is used in the biogas production process?
a) Methanogens
b) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
c) Cyanobacteria
d) Yeast
**Answer: a) Methanogens**
7. The disease 'Tuberculosis' is caused by which bacterium?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Streptococcus pyogenes
c) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
d) Salmonella typhi
**Answer: c) Mycobacterium tuberculosis**
8. Which microbe is used in the production of vaccines through the process of
attenuation?
a) Bacillus anthracis
b) Vibrio cholerae
c) Clostridium botulinum
d) Mycobacterium bovis
**Answer: d) Mycobacterium bovis**
9. Which microorganism is responsible for causing dental cavities?
a) Streptococcus mutans
b) Staphylococcus aureus
c) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
d) Clostridium tetani
**Answer: a) Streptococcus mutans**
10. Which microbe is used in the process of bioremediation to degrade harmful
pollutants in the environment?
a) Plasmodium falciparum
b) Escherichia coli
c) Pseudomonas putida
d) Trypanosoma cruzi
**Answer: c) Pseudomonas putida**
11. The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants
is known as:
a) Photosynthesis
b) Respiration
c) Nitrogen fixation
d) Denitrification
**Answer: c) Nitrogen fixation**
12. Which microbe is used to produce biofertilizers to enhance plant growth?
a) Rhizobium
b) Giardia
c) Plasmodium
d) Taenia solium
**Answer: a) Rhizobium**
13. Which microorganism is responsible for causing food spoilage and can lead to
foodborne illnesses?
a) Lactobacillus acidophilus
b) Salmonella enterica
c) Clostridium difficile
d) Toxoplasma gondii
**Answer: b) Salmonella enterica**
14. Which microbe is commonly used in the production of yogurt and other
fermented dairy products?
a) Streptococcus pyogenes
b) Lactobacillus acidophilus
c) Neisseria meningitidis
d) Haemophilus influenzae
**Answer: b) Lactobacillus acidophilus**
15. The process of converting organic waste into nutrient-rich compost with the
help of microorganisms is called:
a) Fermentation
b) Photosynthesis
c) Bioremediation
d) Vermicomposting
**Answer: d) Vermicomposting**
16. The disease 'Cholera' is caused by which bacterium?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Vibrio cholerae
c) Clostridium botulinum
d) Salmonella typhi
**Answer: b) Vibrio cholerae**
17. Which microbe is used in the production of bioethanol, a renewable energy
source?
a) Penicillium notatum
b) Bacillus anthracis
c) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
d) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
**Answer: c) Saccharomyces cerevisiae**
18. Which microorganism is used in the process of retting to obtain fibers from
plants like jute and flax?
a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
b) Penicillium notatum
c) Clostridium botulinum
d) Bacillus subtilis
**Answer: b) Penicillium notatum**
19. Which microbe is responsible for causing dengue fever?
a) Aedes aegypti mosquito
b) Anopheles mosquito
c) Culex mosquito
d) Plasmodium falciparum
**Answer: a) Aedes aegypti mosquito**
20. Which microorganism is used in the production of single-cell protein (SCP) as a
potential source of food for humans and animals?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Spirulina
d) Lactobacillus acidophilus
**Answer: c) Spirulina**
21. Which microbe is commonly used in the process of sewage treatment to break
down organic matter?
a) Giardia lamblia
b) Escherichia coli
c) Euglena gracilis
d) Activated sludge bacteria
**Answer: d) Activated sludge bacteria**
22. Which microbe is used in the production of enzymes for various industrial
processes?
a) Candida albicans
b) Streptococcus mutans
c) Trichoderma reesei
d) Plasmodium vivax
**Answer: c) Trichoderma reesei**
23. The disease 'Malaria' is caused by which protozoan parasite?
a) Trypanosoma cruzi
b) Plasmodium falciparum
c) Leishmania donovani
d) Entamoeba histolytica
**Answer: b) Plasmodium falciparum**
24. Which microorganism is responsible for fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the
root nodules of leguminous plants?
a) Agrobacterium tumefaciens
b) Azotobacter vinelandii
c) Rhizobium
d) Streptomyces griseus
**Answer: c) Rhizobium**
25. The disease 'Typhoid' is caused by which bacterium?
a) Salmonella typhi
b) Streptococcus pyogenes
c) Clostridium tetani
d) Mycobacterium leprae
**Answer: a) Salmonella typhi**
26. Which microbe is used in the biological control of pest insects due to its ability
to produce insecticidal proteins?
a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
b) Bacillus thuringiensis
c) Penicillium notatum
d) Escherichia coli
**Answer: b) Bacillus thuringiensis**
27. The process of using microorganisms to break down complex organic matter
into simpler substances is known as:
a) Fermentation
b) Digestion
c) Decomposition
d) Synthesis
**Answer: c) Decomposition**
28. Which microbe is used in the bioremediation of oil spills to degrade
hydrocarbons?
a) Nitrosomonas
b) Pseudomonas putida
c) Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
d) Paramecium caudatum
**Answer: b) Pseudomonas putida**
29. The disease 'Amoebic Dysentery' is caused by which protozoan parasite?
a) Giardia lamblia
b) Plasmodium falciparum
c) Entamoeba histolytica
d) Trypanosoma cruzi
**Answer: c) Entamoeba histolytica**
30. Which microbe is used in the process of composting to accelerate the
breakdown of organic matter?
a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
b) Aspergillus niger
c) Lactobacillus acidophilus
d) Thermophilic bacteria
**Answer: d) Thermophilic bacteria**
31. Which microorganism is used in the production of antibiotics like
streptomycin?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Streptococcus mutans
c) Streptomyces griseus
d) Clostridium tetani
**Answer: c) Streptomyces griseus**
32. The process of using microorganisms to clean up polluted water bodies is
known as:
a) Bioremediation
b) Composting
c) Fermentation
d) Photosynthesis
**Answer: a) Bioremediation**
33. Which microbe is used in the production of biopesticides to control
agricultural pests?
a) Trichoderma reesei
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Clostridium difficile
d) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
**Answer: a) Trichoderma reesei**
34. The disease 'Botulism' is caused by which bacterium?
a) Clostridium botulinum
b) Vibrio cholerae
c) Streptococcus pyogenes
d) Salmonella typhi
**Answer: a) Clostridium botulinum**
35. Which microbe is used in the process of wastewater treatment to break down
organic matter and nutrients?
a) Rhizobium
b) Nitrosomonas
c) Lactobacillus acidophilus
d) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
**Answer: b) Nitrosomonas**
36. Which microorganism is used in the production of enzymes for laundry
detergents?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Streptococcus pyogenes
c) Bacillus subtilis
d) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
**Answer: c) Bacillus subtilis**
37. The disease 'Leprosy' is caused by which bacterium?
a) Clostridium botulinum
b) Vibrio cholerae
c) Mycobacterium leprae
d) Salmonella typhi
**Answer: c) Mycobacterium leprae**
38. Which microbe is used in the production of bioplastics as a more sustainable
alternative to conventional plastics?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Streptococcus mutans
c) Bacillus thuringiensis
d) Rhizobium
**Answer: a) Escherichia coli**
39. The process of converting organic waste into biogas with the help of
anaerobic microorganisms is known as:
a) Fermentation
b) Photosynthesis
c) Biomethanation
d) Vermicomposting
**Answer: c) Biomethanation**
40. Which microbe is used in the production of antibiotics like tetracycline?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Streptococcus pyogenes
c) Streptomyces aureus
d) Salmonella typhi
**Answer: c) Streptomyces aureus**
41. Which microorganism is used in the process of bioleaching to extract metals
from ores?
a) Bacillus anthracis
b) Escherichia coli
c) Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
d) Lactobacillus acidophilus
**Answer: c) Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans**
42. The disease 'Ringworm' is caused by which type of microorganism?
a) Bacteria
b) Fungi
c) Viruses
d) Protozoa
**Answer: b) Fungi**
43. Which microbe is used in the production of biofuels like biodiesel?
a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
b) Escherichia coli
c) Clostridium botulinum
d) Chlorella vulgaris
**Answer: d) Chlorella vulgaris**
44. Which microorganism is used in the process of nitrogen fixation in rice fields?
a) Azotobacter vinelandii
b) Clostridium botulinum
c) Streptococcus mutans
d) Rhizobium
**Answer: a) Azotobacter vinelandii**
45. The disease 'AIDS' is caused by which virus?
a) Influenza virus
b) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
c) Hepatitis B virus
d) Rotavirus
**Answer: b) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)**
46. Which microbe is used in the production of biocontrol agents to manage plant
diseases?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Streptococcus pyogenes
c) Trichoderma harzianum
d) Bacillus anthracis
**Answer: c) Trichoderma harzianum**
47. Which microorganism is used in the production of enzymes for the textile
industry?
a) Candida albicans
b) Streptococcus mutans
c) Trichoderma reesei
d) Plasmodium vivax
**Answer: c) Trichoderma reesei**
48. The disease 'Rabies' is caused by which virus?
a) Influenza virus
b) Rabies virus
c) Hepatitis B virus
d) Rotavirus
**Answer: b) Rabies virus**
49. Which microbe is used in the production of biofertilizers for nitrogen
enrichment in soil?
a) Azotobacter vinelandii
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Clostridium tetani
d) Giardia lamblia
**Answer: a) Azotobacter vinelandii**
50. The disease 'Tetanus' is caused by which bacterium?
a) Clostridium botulinum
b) Streptococcus pyogenes
c) Mycobacterium leprae
d) Clostridium tetani
**Answer: d) Clostridium tetani**
