Final answer:
Exponential growth in biology is a process where the population size increases geometrically over regular intervals, often seen in bacteria. By applying the exponential formula, we can calculate population growth over time, assuming ideal conditions with no limitations on resources or space.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Exponential Bacterial Growth
Exponential growth in bacteria is a biological phenomenon where the number of bacteria increases geometrically at regular intervals. This type of growth is often represented by a J-shaped curve when graphed over time. To calculate the number of bacteria after a certain time with a given growth rate, we would use the formula for exponential growth: N(t) = N0 * 2^(t/d), where N(t) is the number of bacteria at time t, N0 is the initial number of bacteria, and d is the doubling time.
Answering the question, if the bacteria double every hour, starting with an initial population of 1,000 bacteria, after 24 hours (which is 24 cycles), the population would reach over 16 billion, indicating a clear exponential growth pattern. In a scenario where the doubling occurs every 30 minutes, we can use the formula to find the population at any given time. For example, starting with 1 x 10^5 cells and a doubling time of 30 minutes, the population after 2 hours, which is 4 doubling times (120 minutes / 30 minutes per doubling), the bacteria count would be 1 x 10^5 * 2^4, which equals 1.6 x 10^6 cells.