Experiment #1:

Bacteria Growth Lab

Silas
 November 2, 2023

Introduction

To examine and analyze bacteria growth from different locations and in different forms, as well as

to discover where and why bacteria thrives.

Pre-lab questions/Hypothesis
a) I believe that we will find the highest amount of bacteria in the petri dish with a mucus swab.
This is because mucus is designed to trap bacteria and other materials, and thus must be exposed
to high amounts of bacteria every day. It is likely that there is much living bacteria in the mucus.
b) In 3-4 days I believe there will be evidence of numerous bacteria colonies of different sizes,
colors and types. At 8-10 days, I believe the bacteria colonies may have expanded, multiplied and
deepened in color.

Methods and Materials

Refer to the lab pag for methods and materials used.

Observations

Day Diagram Description

1 Diagram of the application of the bacterial

swap.
 2 Small circular colonies begin to form on both
sides of the petri dish. Mostly flat, but colonies
are not developed enough to truly tell the
elevation. Most are entire margins, with several
undulate or lobate margins visible. Most are a
dull, translucent yellow color, with some
developing into red or brown color.

3 Same circular colonies present, several new ones

on the right side of the petri dish. Several
colonies on left side have developed a reddish
hue. More colonies have developed to have a
more raised elevation, though most are flat.

4 On the right side, more extremely small circular

colonies appear, with several smaller colonies
beginning to merge into one another. On the left
side, the largest colony specifically seems to have
grown considerably into a white-translucent
irregular oval, with undulate margins.

5 On the right side, many of the smaller colonies

grouped together have merged together to form
several larger colonies. On the left side, the
largest colony starts to develop opaque lines
originating from center to outside.

Questions
1) Areas in the school with higher student contact or which may be cleaned less had higher
populations of bacteria. The environments are also important, with areas that are moist and have
moderate-warm temperatures will have the highest bacteria count. In the experiment, we tested
four different locations, and the one with highest bacteria populations from a location within the
 school was the garbage can lid. The location with the lowest bacteria population came from the
door handle, which I believe was due to it being sterilized or cleaned more often than other
locations, despite coming in contact with a large number of students' hands. I believe this is
because the garbage comes in contact with many students, and is cleaned less than other
locations, such as a door handle.
2) I believe that bacteria from the mucus sample came from airborne bacteria that may have been
inhaled and come in contact with the mucus. The bacteria sample from the garbage lid most likely
came from the hands of students or garbage that came in contact with the lid.
3) The agar was sterilized to limit any bacteria contamination from sources outside of the
experiment locations. If the agar was unsterilized, bacteria from other sources and locations could
have grown.
4) We saw most bacteria growth in locations with moist, damp environments, often with a warm
temperature. Bacteria will also need a protein source to survive and grow. Again, as previously
mentioned, the bacteria population largely depends on exposure to sources of contamination.
5) To control your bacteria exposure, be aware of any surfaces that you may be touching, especially
ones that may be contaminated. These are surfaces that are unsterile and come in contact with
people or things that may spread bacteria. To kill bacteria that may end up on your body, sterilize
or wash your body, especially your hands. Using hand sanitizer is a way to kill any
microorganisms that may be on your hands.
6) It is possible, as the environments required for bacteria growth can be similar to those of other
microorganisms, such as protists and fungi. The agar is good nutrients for both protists and fungi,
and can be used for growth. However the presence of any other microorganisms largely depends
on whether there were any present in the original location.
7) During the experiment, you may come in contact with large amounts of bacteria, because you are
dealing with higher populations of microorganisms. To reduce the risk of any harmful bacteria
being ingested or coming in contact with you, it is important to sterilize or wash your hands.
Conclusion
Bacteria growth largely depends on the environment and conditions of exposure. Bacteria growth
may be in higher concentrations in areas that are the right environment, have high exposure rates,
such as many people touching the area, and must not be sterilized often, as this will kill any
bacteria on the surface. Overall, the experiment was a success, with 3 out of 4 petri dishes
showing large amounts of bacteria growth. This is because of the location choices and limiting
outside exposure factors. Several errors were made during the experiment, such as the splitting of
the agar during the bacteria swab, and choosing a location that had a low bacteria population.
These errors can be addressed by pressing more delicately on the agar, and being more aware of
how often areas may be sterilized, even if they seem like an area with high exposure.