13.8: Bacterial and Fungal Growth Results and Homework

Colony Morphology

A bacterial colony grows from a single bacterial cell. The colony consists of millions of bacterial cells and is visible to the human eye. The student will observe that each colony has a characteristic shape, size, texture, and color.

Procedure

Obtain agar plates prepared in section 14.3. Leave the covers on. Observe the colonies by eye and under the dissecting microscope. Complete data table

question

If a single bacterial cell is microscopic, how is it that these bacteria be observed with the naked eye?

question

How does the appearance of a mold colony differ from that of bacteria?

question

Did the results of this experiment support your hypothesis? Explain in detail.