Final answer:
Gram staining is a differential staining technique used to distinguish between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, based on cellular morphology and differences in cell wall structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
A way of distinguishing between two types of bacteria is called Gram staining. Gram staining is a differential staining technique that uses a primary stain and a secondary counterstain to differentiate between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This differentiation is based on the cell wall structure, where gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer, appearing blue or purple, and gram-negative bacteria have a thinner peptidoglycan layer and an additional outer membrane, appearing red or pink after staining. Gram staining enables scientists and medical professionals to identify and classify bacteria based on their cellular morphology and Gram reaction. This is crucial in microbiology for understanding bacterial taxonomy, as well as for diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections in medicine. Other differential staining techniques include acid-fast staining, endospore staining, and capsule staining, which are used to identify specific features of bacteria.