Culturing Microorganisms

• 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.
• Microorganisms can be grown as colonies on an agar gel plate.
• • Microorganisms can be grown within a solution of a nutrient broth. This contains carbohydrates as an energy source, minerals and sometimes other chemicals.
• Bacteria can be cultured in several ways. Which of the following is NOT a method?

  • on agar in a petri dish
  • in a warm dry place
  • in a nutrient broth solution
• What equation would be used to calculate the areas of bacteria killed by the antiseptic/antibiotic, and what would this indicate?

  A = πr2Area = π x radius2The largest area cleared indicates the most effective antibiotic/antiseptic.