Bacteria Cell Structure Explorer¶
Specification¶
The full specification below is extracted from Chapter 4: "Chapter 4: Food Microbiology — Microbes, Fermentation, and Cultured Foods".
Type: interactive-infographic
**sim-id:** bacteria-cell-anatomy<br/>
**Library:** p5.js<br/>
**Status:** Specified
**Learning Objective:** Students will identify and name (L1 — Remember) the key structures of a bacterial cell and explain (L2 — Understand) the function of each structure.
**Canvas size:** 720 × 420 px, responsive.
**Visual:** A large, detailed cross-section of a rod-shaped bacterium (like E. coli) centered on the canvas. Each labeled structure is a clickable hot spot with a pulsing highlight ring.
**Clickable structures and tooltips:**
- Cell wall → "The cell wall gives the bacterium its shape. Many antibiotics work by destroying the cell wall."
- Cell membrane → "The lipid bilayer is a selective gatekeeper — nutrients enter, waste products exit."
- Cytoplasm → "The cell's interior is 70% water and packed with enzymes and chemical reactions."
- Nucleoid region (DNA) → "Bacteria have no nucleus. Their circular chromosome floats freely. A bacterium can copy it in about 20 minutes!"
- Ribosomes → "Ribosomes read the DNA code and build proteins. Bacteria have thousands of them."
- Flagellum → "Some bacteria swim using their flagellum, spinning it like a propeller."
- Pili → "Pili anchor bacteria to surfaces — the first step in forming a biofilm."
**Color palette:** Blue-green cell interior, darker blue cell wall, gold flagellum, orange pili.
**Responsive:** Redraws on window resize.