Question

All of the following are true statements concerning the generation time of bacterial cells except

A) some bacteria have a generation time of 20 minutes or less
B) generation time is the number of cell division per unit time
C) generation time can be affected by changes in chemical or physical conditions
D) generation time is the time required for a bacterial cell to grow and divide
E) most bacteria have a generation time of 3 hours or less

Answer 1

The false statement about bacterial generation time is that it is the number of cell divisions per unit time. Generation time is actually the time it takes for a bacterial population to double, and varies based on environmental conditions and bacterial species.

Step-by-step explanation:

The false statement concerning the generation time of bacterial cells is: B) generation time is the number of cell division per unit time. This statement is incorrect because the generation time actually refers to the time required for a bacterial cell to grow and divide.

Generation time in bacteriology is the period it takes for a bacterial population to double in number through a single round of binary fission. This time can be as little as 20 minutes for rapidly dividing organisms like Escherichia coli under optimal conditions, but can extend to several hours or days under less favorable conditions.

For example, Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a generation time of 15-20 hours, while M. leprae can take up to 14 days to double. The generation time can vary significantly based on several factors, including nutrient availability, temperature, and pH level, making it a critical concept in microbiology. Importantly, generation time represents a fixed period rather than a rate of cell division, as the incorrect statement suggests.