Final answer:
A contaminant on a streak plate can be easily identified and removed, while a contaminant in a liquid culture can contaminate the entire batch. This makes a contaminant in a liquid culture more of a problem.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Effect of Contaminants on a Streak Plate versus a Liquid Culture
When a contaminant lands on a streak plate, it will create a distinct colony, separate from other colonies on the plate. This allows for easy identification and isolation of the contaminant. On the other hand, when a contaminant lands in a liquid culture, it will mix with the existing culture and potentially contaminate the entire batch. This poses a greater problem because it can ruin the entire culture and make it unsuitable for further experimentation.
For example, let's say we have a streak plate with distinct colonies of bacteria A and B. If a contaminant lands on the streak plate, it will create a separate colony, making it easy to identify and remove. However, if a contaminant lands in a liquid culture that contains bacteria A and B, it will mix with the culture and create a contaminated batch. In this case, it becomes difficult to separate and remove the contaminant without damaging the whole culture.