Question

How does an Amoeba obtain its food?

Answer 1

Hint: Amoeba are the eukaryotic, unicellular organisms that move in a crawling fashion. The cytoplasm and other cellular contents are enclosed within the cell membrane. They envelop food by the process of phagocytosis and endocytosis.

Complete Answer:
- Amoeba are the eukaryotic organisms that envelope their food with the help of a process called phagocytosis and endocytosis where the pseudopodia is created due to the flexibility of the plasma membrane.
- Phagocytosis is the process through which certain organisms engulf or ingest other cells. Amoeba engulfs their food with the help of pseudopodia and these are the projections of the cell membrane. The process of engulfing in a matter by invagination of the cell membrane forming a vacuole is called endocytosis.
- Pseudopodia are the temporary arm-like projections made in amoeba that help in collecting the nutrition, alters shape and size of amoeba. It also acts as an organ of locomotion.
- Amoeba takes in food by the help of arm-like projection called pseudopodia of the cell surface. It fuses over the food particles and forms a vacuole. Inside the vacuole, the complex substances are broken down into smaller ones that diffuse then into the cytoplasm.
The remaining waste or undigested food material thrown out of the cell surface.

Note: The phagocytosis and endocytosis process that takes place in amoeba includes the intake and digestion of food, absorption, assimilation and egestion processes. The process that engulfed matter and forms a vacuole is called endocytosis.