Antibiotics
A series of free Science Lessons for 7th Grade and 8th Grade, KS3 and Checkpoint Science in preparation for GCSE and IGCSE Science.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics can be used to cure bacterial diseases by killing bacteria inside the body. Antibiotics cannot be used to kill viruses because viruses live and produce inside cells.
Specific bacteria must be killed by specific antibiotics. If we use antibiotics when they are not needed (eg. viral diseases) or if we use an incorrect antibiotic, we can increase the level of antibiotic resistance. This means that antibiotics may not work in the future.
How Alexander Fleming Accidentally Discovered Penicillin?
- Why was Penicillin an accidental discovery?
- Name some of the diseases Penicillin can cure?
- Why did the British and American armies decide to mass produce penicillin from 1941 to 1945?
- What was Flemming awarded?
- Why is Flemming seen as a hero?
- What is the only problem with antibiotics?
How penicillin and antibiotics work?
Penicillin kills bacteria by interfering with the production of cell wall. When these bacteria (called E. coli) grow in size, the weakened cell wall ruptures.
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