Which Microbes Prefer To Live Lab Essay

This lab experiment was completed to determine the environment in which microbes prefer to live. The pH, moisture, available nutrients, oxygen and light all affect the rate in which bacteria grow. The majority of bacteria flourish when the pH level is near neutral; the growth rate is highly affected if the pH is off by just a little. If too acidic, the amount of time it takes the bacteria to adjust to a new environment (lag time) is increased which slows the growth, the activity of enzymes is affected and the shape of molecules. Varying amounts of moisture are required for different types of bacteria. A low level water supply affects the lag time, membrane loses water and impairs mobility. The temperature of an environment dictates whether an organism can survive in the particular location or not. Just as with water, the type of bacteria determines the nutrient oxygen and light content/amount each bacterium needs. All bacteria require water, carbon, nitrogen and minerals. Some …show more content…
Just like the previous experiments, all steps of aseptic technique were followed. The inoculated tubes were placed in the incubator for a 24 -hour period to determine how each organism reacted to the different degrees of pH. This is determined by the Spectrophotometer measuring the optical density of each culture. The last experiment of this lab tested the effect different osmotic pressures have on organisms. Materials used to perform this experiment included:
Gloves
Culture Medium
2 NaCl Agar plates
Cotton tip applicators
Bio-hazard disposal
Incubator shelf