Question

Bromothymol blue solution turns from blue to green when small amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the solution. A water sample is suspected of being contaminated with bacteria. Bromothymol blue would be most used in detecting which biological process carried out by these bacteria?

a. Fermentation
b. Photosynthesis
c. Respiration
d. Osmosis

Answer 1

Bromothymol blue solution is commonly used as an indicator to detect the biological process of respiration carried out by bacteria. When bacteria respire, they release carbon dioxide, which reacts with bromothymol blue and causes the solution to turn from blue to green.

Step-by-step explanation:

Bromothymol blue solution is commonly used as an indicator to detect the biological process of respiration carried out by bacteria. When bacteria respire, they release carbon dioxide, which reacts with bromothymol blue and causes the solution to turn from blue to green.

This color change occurs because carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid when it dissolves in water, and the increase in acidity causes the bromothymol blue to change color. This makes bromothymol blue a useful tool for detecting bacterial respiration in water samples suspected of contamination.