bacteria

Question 1

what are bacteria

Answer 1

tiny, single-celled microorganisms found everywhere, they can either be helpful or harmful and cause diseases

Question 2

what conditions to bacteria need to grow

Answer 2

• temperature
• PH level
• presence / absence of oxygen
• adequate nutrients

Question 3

Why Is Understanding Bacterial Growth Important in healthcare

Answer 3

• helps control and prevent infections
• manage sterilisation
• reduce harmful bacteria

Question 4

Why Is Understanding Bacterial Growth Important in veterinary environments

Answer 4

• controlling bacteria growth
• preventing disease outbreak
• protecting food supplies
• reducing risk of infection

Question 5

Why Is Understanding Bacterial Growth Important in food safety

Answer 5

• safe food storage, preservation and preparation

Question 6

Why Is Understanding Bacterial Growth Important in laboratory settings

Answer 6

• research
• vaccine production
• antibiotic testing

Question 7

what are the 4 phases of bacterial growth in a closed system

Answer 7

• lag phase
• log (exponential) phase
• stationary phase
• death phase

Question 8

what are aerobic bacteria

Answer 8

bacteria that require oxygen for survival and reproduction. they use oxygen for aerobic respiration - this produces ATP for the cell

Question 9

what are anerobic bacteria

Answer 9

• can’t survive in the presence of oxygen as its toxic to them due to lacking the enzymes to break down harmful oxygen by-products.
• rely on anaerobic respiration or fermentation to generate energy.

Question 10

what are Facultative Anaerobe bacteria

Answer 10

• can survive and grow both with or without oxygen
• prefer aerobic respiration but can do that or anaerobic respiration / fermentation too

Question 11

why is it important to understand the different types of bacteria (aerobic, anerobic….)

Answer 11

• culturing bacteria
• preventing infections
• choosing the right antibiotic

Question 12

how does temperature affect bacterial growth

Answer 12

• too cold = slows enzyme activity so bacteria grow slowly or stop growing
• too hot = enzymes and proteins might break down so the bacteria may die.
• 37° is optimal

Question 13

how does ph level affect bacterial growth

Answer 13

• 6.5 - 7.5 usually optimal
• if environment is wrong ph bacterial enzymes can be damaged or growth can be slowed down or stopped
  some types are adapted to specific levels

Question 14

how does nutrients affect bacterial growth

Answer 14

• need nutrients to build cells, make energy and reproduce
• without enough carbon, nitrogen, minerals or vitamins they cant grow / multiply
  if there is limited nutrients growth can be slowed or there may be early entry into stationary or death phase

Question 15

what shape can bacteria colonies be

Answer 15

circular, irregular or have filamentous (thread like) edges

Question 16

what texture can bacteria colonies be

Answer 16

smooth, rough or jellylike

Question 17

what is agar

Answer 17

a polysaccharide, often derived from red seaweed. its used as a solidifying agent in growing microorganisms. it form a gel like matrix that supports the growth of microorganisms by providing nutrients

Question 18

what are selective agars

Answer 18

agars that contain substances that inhibit unwanted bacteria and allow only specific types to grow. This helps focus on bacteria of interest and reduces contamination.​

Question 19

what are Differential Agars?

Answer 19

agars that include indicators that cause visible changes based on bacterial metabolism or activity. helps identify bacteria by distinguishing their characteristics.

Question 20

how does agar support Microbial Growth?

Answer 20

provides a stable, non-digestible matrix for microbes to colonize and grow.

Question 21

how does agar provide nutrients

Answer 21

added to nutrient broth, agar itself isn’t a nutrient but it holds other nutrients

Question 22

what to look for in bacteria growth

Answer 22

• growth or no growth
• colour
• changes in media colour
• patterns in blood agar
• colony shape or size

Question 23

name 4 types of agar

Answer 23

MacConkey Agar
Mannitol Salt Agar
Blood Agar
Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar