Question

Calculate the generation time of a bacterial population in which the number of bacteria increase from 10⁴ /ml to 10⁷ /ml during four hours of exponential growth. 

Answer 1

u = 2.303(log X_t – log X₀)/t

u = 2.303(log 10⁷ - log 10⁴)/4

(X₀ = 10⁴ , X_t = 10⁷ , t = 4 hours)

Solving the above equation by using the values,

we get,

u = 1.73/hr

t_d = 0.693/1.73

= 0.4 hrs

0.4 x 60 = 24 mins