Week2_Chap3_2024W2_postClass_Not+incl+Case+2

Batch Growth

A type of bacterial growth that occurs in an enclosed environment with a defined liquid nutrient medium.

Doubling Time

The time it takes for a population to double in size during the exponential growth phase.

Optical Density (OD)

A measurement of how much light is scattered by cells in a liquid culture, used to estimate bacterial growth.

Colony Forming Unit (CFU)

A unit used to estimate the number of viable bacteria in a sample, based on the number of colonies formed on solid media.

Growth Curve

A graphical representation of the growth of a bacterial population over time, typically showing the phases of lag, exponential, stationary, and death.

Viable but Non-Culturable (VBNC)

A state in which bacteria are alive but cannot be cultured on routine microbiological media due to adverse environmental conditions.

Sporulation

The process by which a vegetative bacterial cell forms a spore, allowing it to survive in harsh conditions.

Microbial Growth

The increase in the number of cells in a microbial population.

Diauxic Growth Curve

A growth curve pattern that occurs when bacteria utilize two different energy sources, resulting in two distinct growth phases.

Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)

An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of superoxide anions, protecting cells from oxidative damage.

Facultative Anaerobe

An organism that can grow with or without oxygen, but prefers aerobic conditions when available.

Optical Density Measurement

A method for quantifying the concentration of cells in a liquid culture using a spectrophotometer.

Direct Microscopic Count

Counting the number of cells in a sample by observing under a microscope, although it does not differentiate between live and dead cells.