Final answer:
Bacterial growth and death rates follow exponential patterns with growth represented by the log phase and death by the death phase. Population dynamics are influenced by birth and death rates, eventually leading to a stationary phase where growth and death rates equalize.
Step-by-step explanation:
The growth and death rates of bacteria occur at exponential and decelerating rates, respectively. When bacteria are introduced to an environment with adequate resources, they can grow exponentially, known as the log phase. This growth is described by a formula that factors in the birth rate (B) and the death rate (D): Growth Rate (=r) = B - D. However, as resources become scarce or toxic wastes accumulate, the population enters the death phase, leading to an exponential decrease in the number of cells. Eventually, the population reaches a stationary phase, where the rate of cell division is equal to the rate of cell death, resulting in a plateau in the number of living cells.