(a) The magnetotatic bacterias’ one goal in life is to avoid the oxygen-rich upp
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Question
(a) The magnetotatic bacterias’ one goal in life is to avoid the oxygen-rich upper layers of the water. In the northern hemisphere they have evolved to swim in the same direction as the earth’s B-field lines, while in the southern hemisphere they swim in the opposite direction. Why?(b) Near the equator, they are equally likely to travel in either direction! How does the earth’s B-field help them in this case?
(c) In each of the three cases above (northern, southern, and equatorial latitudes), say which is at the front of each bacteria: its N or S pole?
Explanation / Answer
(a) These magnetotactic bacteria are attracted towards the Earth's magnetic poles. those in the northern hemisphere are attracted towards the north pole while those in the southern hemisphere towards the south pole. (b) magnetotaxis increases the efficiency of aerotaxis in vertical concentration gradients by reducing a three-dimensional search to a single dimension. Aerotaxis is the response by which bacteria migrate to an optimal oxygen concentration in an oxygen gradient. (c) the Earth's North Magnetic Pole is therefore, by this definition, physically a magnetic field south pole. Conversely, the Earth's South Magnetic Pole is physically a magnetic field north pole. therefore, at the northern latitudes, in front of the bacteria will be its north pole while at the southern latitudes, its south pole. At the equatorial latitude, there will be an equal number of north and south poles in bacteria.
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