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Nutrition in Amoeba

Biology | 8-14 yrs | Animation, Video

How does Amoeba obtain its Food?

An amoeba eats tiny plants and animals present in pond water where it lives. An amoeba takes in food by extending arm-like structures called pseudopodia from any part of its body, since it is shapeless.

When a food particle comes near the amoeba, then the amoeba produces two pseudopodia around the food particle and surrounds it.

Digestion Process in an Amoeba

The two pseudopodia then join around the food particle and trap it in a food vacuole with a little water. The food vacuole contains digestive enzymes which break down the food into nutrients and undigested waste.

The nutrients from the food are directly absorbed by the body of the amoeba, the cytoplasm. The undigested wastes are simply thrown out of the body through a rupture anywhere in the cell wall. After the nutrients are absorbed, the vacuole disappears.

Looking for more biology articles and videos? Go to: Biology for Kids.

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