Final answer:
The alternative term for logarithmic growth in bacterial cells is exponential growth, where bacterial population size increases rapidly through binary fission, often resulting in a J-shaped growth curve when graphed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the logarithmic growth of bacterial cells is exponential growth. This phase, often called the log phase, is characterized by the continuous and rapid multiplication of bacteria. Bacterial cells replicate by a process known as binary fission, wherein each cell divides into two identical daughter cells. As a result, the number of bacterial cells doubles with each generation, leading to a significant increase in population size over a short period. This pattern of growth can be observed when bacteria are placed in a nutrient-rich environment at optimal growth conditions, causing the population to grow exponentially until resources become limited.
Exponential growth is best exemplified by bacteria in a laboratory setting where they are supplied with abundant nutrients. Starting with a small number of bacteria, the population can skyrocket from 1000 to over 16 billion in just 24 hours, assuming a generation time of one hour. As the bacteria multiply, the population growth curve on a graph forms a J-shaped curve, highlighting the accelerating nature of exponential growth.
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