Consider the following statements : 1. Some microorganisms can grow in environments with temperature above the boiling point of water. 2. Some microorganisms can grow in environments with temperature below the freezing point of water. 3. Some microorganisms can grow in highly acidic environment with a pH below 3. How many of the above statements are correct?

States some microorganisms are found in extreme conditions such as hot water springs, showing microbes can tolerate much higher temperatures than typical environments.

Combine this with knowledge of higher-temperature habitats (e.g., geothermal or deep-sea sites) to suspect microbes might survive above 100°C in special settings.

Explains boiling point depends on ambient pressure (water can remain liquid at temperatures far above 100°C if pressure is high).

A student could apply this to high-pressure environments (e.g., deep ocean vents) to see where liquid water — and thus microbial growth — could occur above 100°C.

Notes that boiling point of water changes with salinity (higher salinity raises boiling point), giving another environmental parameter that affects liquid-water temperatures.

Use this with examples of salty geothermal waters to argue some locales could sustain liquid water above 100°C, potentially allowing thermotolerant microbes.

Describes variation in populations producing heat-resistant variants that can survive and grow when temperatures increase.

A student could infer that natural selection can produce microbial lineages adapted to very high temperatures, supporting the plausibility of organisms tolerating >100°C.

Defines microorganisms as ubiquitous (in water, soil, air, inside bodies), implying broad ecological ranges and potential for specialized extremophiles.

Combine ubiquity with knowledge of extreme habitats to justify searching for microbes in unconventional high-temperature niches.