Figure 17 shows colonies of bacteria growing on an agar plate - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 9 - 2023 - Paper 1

Antibiotics can be used to treat bacterial infections because they specifically target bacterial cells and their processes without affecting human cells. For example:

• Antibiotics like penicillin interfere with the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, leading to the lysis or death of the bacteria.
• They can also inhibit protein synthesis within bacteria, which is critical for their growth and reproduction. This selective targeting allows antibiotics to effectively eliminate pathogens causing infections.

To calculate the magnification, we use the following formula:

$\text{Magnification} = \frac{\text{Length in drawing}}{\text{Actual length}}$

Substituting in the values: [ \text{Magnification} = \frac{80 \text{ mm}}{0.005 \text{ mm}} = 16000 ]\n Thus, the magnification of the drawing is 16000.

Similarities:

1. Both bacterial and plant cells have a cell membrane that protects the cell and controls the movement of substances in and out.
2. They both contain genetic material (DNA) that controls the functions of the cell.

Differences:

1. Structure: Bacterial cells are generally smaller and simpler, lacking a nucleus, while plant cells are larger and more complex with a defined nucleus.
2. Cell wall composition: Bacterial cell walls are made of peptidoglycan, whereas plant cell walls are made of cellulose.
3. Organelles: Plant cells contain chloroplasts for photosynthesis, while bacterial cells do not possess membrane-bound organelles.
4. Reproduction: Bacteria often reproduce asexually through binary fission, while plant cells can reproduce both sexually and asexually.