Final answer:
Biochemical tests are used to analyze the metabolic capabilities and reactions of bacteria, providing a unique profile that helps identify an unknown bacterial species.
Step-by-step explanation:
Biochemical tests can easily help identify an unknown bacterial species by analyzing its metabolic capabilities and the associated biochemical reactions. These tests involve assessing various characteristics such as aerobic or anaerobic respiration, fermentation of sugars, degradation of proteins, and other cellular events.
In addition to this, by performing biochemical assays on a bacterial culture, scientists can effectively detect and analyze the intermediates or end products of these metabolic activities, which typically provide a biochemical profile or 'fingerprint' of the bacteria. This profile can be then compared to a database of known microbes to classify or even identify the bacterial species.