SBI3U Bacterial Growth Lab Name: ___________________________

Sampling Area: ________________________ Partner(s): _____________________________________________

Introduction
You can find bacteria everywhere, even on your desk and on your skin. Although they are much too small to be
seen individually without the help of a powerful microscope, you can see evidence of their presence by growing
colonies in this lab. In the first part of this investigation, you will collect bacterial samples from our school and
investigate the effect of a disinfectant on bacterial growth. After a few days of incubation, you will examine and
describe the bacterial colonies and possibly fungi growth.

There are many variables that can affect the growth of bacteria. In this lab, bacteria from surfaces in the school will
be cultured and the use of rubbing alcohol to inhibit bacterial growth will be examined. The lab answers will be
written in a formal style with the use of the third person past passive verb tense.

Safety:
You must use caution and good judgment when working with bacterial cultures. Wash your hands after handling any
culture. Petri dish lids should remain closed unless you are transferring samples. Once you have collected your
samples, your Petri dishes must be closed and never opened. You must follow your teacher’s instructions for
disposing of all swabs, cultures and Petri dishes. Note: For safety reasons, you are not permitted to sample inside
washrooms, or take samples from individuals.

Pre-Lab: Carefully read the entire lab and the rubric before answering the following questions. Write an introduction
that includes the following:
1. What is the purpose of the lab?
2. State a hypothesis.
3. List six variables that will affect bacterial growth.
a) What is the independent variable in the lab?
b) What is the dependent variable in the lab?
c) What are three controlled variables in the lab?
d) Why is a not inoculated plate required for observation?
4. Describe the purpose of the agar.

Materials: Make a list of your materials in two columns.

Procedure: Rewrite this procedure in the past passive tense.

1. Wipe your desk thoroughly with cleanser. Dry the desk with paper towels.
2. Obtain two Petri dishes. Turn the Petri dishes upside down and using a permanent marker, label the bottom
as shown below. Add the date, your initials and class period to the edge of the plate.

Note: Prior to collecting the sample, one of the two plates will be sterilized with alcohol.

3. Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to one of the Petri dishes.

4. Both Petri dishes will contain samples that will be taken from the same location.
5. Sample A will be collected by gently wiping the surface of the selected object using a cotton swab. Next the
swab will be gently swiped across the agar plate section A. Do not break the surface of the agar.
6. Repeat the same process as above using the other end of the cotton swab and swipe on section B.
7. Dispose of the cotton swab.
8. Tape the Petri dishes closed, turn them upside down and place in the basket at the front.
9. Wipe up your desk. Wash your hands with soap and warm water.

Observations
Design your own observation tables checking with your rubric

The Petri dishes will be examined after about 4 days and 7 days. Observations will be made on both days.

The following page provides information about features of bacterial colonies that can be observed. Make and record
qualitative observations on the appearance of the bacterial colonies.
Determine the % of each section’s surface that the total bacteria colonies occupy. This is a quantitative observation.

Be sure to record observations of the Petri dish that was not inoculated with bacteria.

Complete a sketch of the growth in the Petri dish. You may use the circles below for your diagrams.

Discussion and Analysis

1. What general statements can be made about the conditions required for bacterial growth?
2. What temperature are the bacteria incubated at? Why is that temperature used? Why are Petri dishes
incubated upside down?
3. What general statements can be made about the effectiveness of rubbing alcohol as a disinfectant based on the
results of this lab?

Errors and Improvements

1. Describe two possible sources of human error in this lab.
2. What is one suggestion for improving the lab design? This is not asking about how to correct the human errors.
3. What are two future research questions that could be asked based on the results of this lab?

Conclusion
Write a statement about whether or not the hypothesis was supported.