Question

When cells are metabolically active but not dividing, they are in the ________ phase. _______

A) lag
B) exponential
C) death
D) stationary
E) log

Answer 1

Cells in the stationary phase are metabolically active but not dividing, with stable cell numbers due to equal rates of cell division and death. The log phase is when cells are most vulnerable to antibiotics like penicillin, which targets cell-wall synthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

When cells are metabolically active but not dividing, they are in the stationary phase. This is the phase where the rate of cell division and cell death are roughly equal, resulting in a stable population of cells. During the log phase, also known as the exponential growth phase, cells are actively dividing and are most susceptible to antibiotics like penicillin, which inhibits cell-wall synthesis.

Penicillin is most effective during the log phase, due to the rapid growth and division of cells, making them vulnerable to interference with cell-wall synthesis.