1.1.2

Bacteria

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Growing Microorganisms

Cultures of microorganisms (microorganisms grown in a lab) can be used to investigate the effects of antibiotics and disinfectants, which both kill bacteria. Microorganisms can be grown in two mediums (materials) that contain everything that bacteria need to survive.

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Agar gel plate

  • Microorganisms can be grown as colonies on an agar gel plate.
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Nutrient broth

  • Microorganisms can be grown within a solution of a nutrient broth.
  • This contains carbohydrates as an energy source, minerals and sometimes other chemicals.

Calculating Area

The equation for calculating the area of a circle is: Area = π x radius2.

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Clear-zones

  • Samples of certain antiseptics or antibiotics can be added to bacterial cultures. The area free of bacteria around the sample can then be calculated.
  • This technique is useful for testing how well different antibiotics work. It's also useful for identifying bacteria or other microorganisms based on the antimicrobials that affect their growth.
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Bacterial cultures

  • The size of bacterial cultures can be measured by the area of the colony.
  • This is useful for determining how different conditions affect bacterial growth rates.

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