Studied by 0 people
need to add chatgpt study guide flashcards
Microbial Growth
The increase in the number of microorganisms in a population.
Robert Koch
A German physician known for studying disease-causing bacteria and developing methods of cultivating bacteria.
Agar
A gelatinous substance derived from seaweed used to solidify culture media.
Binary Fission
The process by which prokaryotic cells divide, resulting in two daughter cells.
Exponential Growth
A rapid increase in population size where the number of cells doubles with each division.
Generation Time
The time it takes for a microbial population to double in number.
Biofilm
A complex community of microorganisms growing together on surfaces.
Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS)
Substances produced by bacterial cells that facilitate attachment and growth in biofilms.
Pure Culture
A population of cells derived from a single cell, allowing the study of one species.
Streak-Plate Method
A technique used to isolate pure cultures by spreading out cells on a solid medium.
Chemostat
A device that maintains continuous growth of microorganisms by replenishing nutrients and removing wastes.
Extremophiles
Microorganisms that thrive in extreme environmental conditions.
Psychrophile
An organism that grows best at temperatures between -5° and 15°C.
Thermophile
An organism that grows best at temperatures between 45° and 70°C.
Acidophiles
Organisms that thrive in acidic environments, typically at pH below 5.5.
Osmosis
The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.
Halophiles
Organisms that require high salt concentrations for growth.
Catalase
An enzyme produced by almost all aerobic organisms that converts hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.
Aerobic Respiration
A metabolic process that requires oxygen to produce energy.
pH
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.
Lag Phase
The initial phase in a growth curve where cells do not increase in number as they adapt to their environment.
Log Phase
The phase of rapid cell division in a growth curve.
Stationary Phase
A phase in the growth curve where the number of viable cells remains constant due to limited nutrients.
Death Phase
A phase in the growth curve where the total number of viable cells decreases.
Nutrient Medium
A substance containing nutrients used for culturing microorganisms.
Environmental Factors
Conditions such as temperature, atmosphere, pH, and water availability that influence microbial growth.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
Harmful by-products of aerobic respiration including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide.
Optimum Growth Temperature
The temperature at which a microorganism grows best.
Staphylococcus
A genus of bacteria that can tolerate high salt concentrations.
Bioremediation
The use of microorganisms to remove or neutralize pollutants from the environment.
Exponential Growth Consequences
The rapid increase of harmful pathogenic bacteria in food items, such as 40,960 cells from just 10 in a few hours.
Bacterial Growth Curve
A graphical representation of the growth of bacterial populations over time, showing phases like lag, log, stationary, and death.
Microbial Interactions
The relationships between different microbial species, which can be cooperative or competitive.
Continuous Culture System
A system that maintains continuous growth of microorganisms by constantly adding nutrients and removing wastes.
