BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
KINGDOM MONERA
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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Every 20 hours
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Every 20 minutes
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Every 20 seconds
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None of the above
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Detailed explanation-1: -Why it matters: Bacteria are among the fastest reproducing organisms in the world, doubling every 4 to 20 minutes.
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: -Generation time is the time it takes for a population of bacteria to double in number. For many common bacteria, the generation time is quite short, 20-60 minutes under optimum conditions. For most common pathogens in the body, the generation time is probably closer to 5-10 hours.