binary fission

• true or false? binary fission is when bacteria die due to unfavourable conditions.

  false. binary fission is a type of simple cell division used by bacteria to mutiply.
• what is it meant by the 'mean division time' of a bacterial cell?

  the average amount of time it take for one bacterial cell to divide into two.
• how do you work out number of divisions?

  number of divisions = total time / mean division time
• a bacterial cell has a mean division time of 40 minutes. how many bacterial cells will it have produced after 200 minutes?

  32 cells. number of divisions = total time / mean division time. 200 minutes / 40 minutes = 5 divisions. 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 32 cells