Microbial Growth
The starting phase where bacteria adapt to their environment and get ready to grow without increasing in number yet.
Lag Phase
This three-letter molecule acts as the main energy source that cells use to do work.
ATP
Microbes that get their energy directly from sunlight are called by this term.
Phototrophs
During this phase, bacteria multiply at their fastest, steady rate.
Log Phase
These biological helpers speed up chemical reactions inside living things.
Enzymes
Organisms that can build their own food using carbon dioxide from the air.
Autotrophs
When the number of new bacteria being born equals the number of bacteria dying.
Stationary Phase
This metabolic step breaks down sugar molecules like glucose to make a small amount of quick energy.
Glycolysis
These microbes get energy from chemical reactions around deep-sea ocean vents to make their own food.
Chemoautotrophs
High salt or sugar levels outside a cell pull water out of it, and that causes it to shrink in this process.
Plasmolysis
In normal air-breathing respiration, cells use this gas to catch electrons at the end of the energy chain.
Oxygen
Using helpful bacteria to clean up toxic waste, oil spills, and dirty water is called this.
Bioremediation
Scientists use this tool to measure how cloudy a liquid culture is by shining light through it.
spectrophotometry
When oxygen isn't around, some microbes use non-oxygen compounds like these to accept electrons.
Nitrate and sulfate
Unlike autotrophs, these organisms must get their carbon by eating or absorbing organic food made by other living things.
Heterotrophs