Final answer:
The statement that represents exponential growth is the one describing bacteria in a petri dish doubling every second, which exemplifies how the population grows at an accelerating rate, doubling at consistent, regular intervals.
Correct option is A
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that represents an exponential situation is: 'The number of bacteria in a petri dish doubles every second.' This is because exponential growth is characterized by the fact that the quantity increases by doubling at regular intervals, meaning the growth rate is accelerating over time. In contrast, linear growth is represented by a constant increase by a fixed amount, such as the yearly salary increase or weight decrease examples provided.
One well-known example of exponential growth is seen in bacteria. When bacteria have an abundant supply of nutrients and enough space, they reproduce through a process known as binary fission, typically doubling in number at regular time intervals. The population size increases at a greater and greater rate, following a pattern that, when graphed, creates a J-shaped curve.
If we consider a hypothetical scenario where bacteria double every minute in a jar that will be full at midnight, and we want to know when the jar would be half full, the intuitive answer may not be correct because our minds do not naturally grasp the concept of exponential expansion. The correct answer would be that the jar is half full at 11:59 PM, just one minute before midnight, which illustrates the explosive nature of exponential expansion.