NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Why it matters: Bacteria are among the fastest reproducing organisms in the world, doubling every 4 to 20 minutes. Some fast-growing bacteria such as pathogenic strains of E.

Detailed explanation-2: -So, 1 bacterium can multiply to 2 in 20 minutes, 4 in 40 minutes, and so on.

Detailed explanation-3: -For example, Clostridium perfringens, one of the fastest-growing bacteria, has an optimum generation time of about 10 minutes; Escherichia coli can double every 20 minutes; and the slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a generation time in the range of 12 to 16 hours.

Detailed explanation-4: -When conditions are favourable such as the right temperature and nutrients are available, some bacteria like Escherichia coli can divide every 20 minutes. This means that in just seven hours one bacterium can generate 2, 097, 152 bacteria.

Detailed explanation-5: -Given that the bacterial cell divides for three hours, in which there are 180 minutes. The bacterial cell replicates (180/20= 9) i.e., 9 times in 3 hours. So, the full amount of numbers of bacteria produced after 3 hours are 512 cells.