Question

During the growth of a bacterial population, the phase called the _______ is occurring when the number of newly formed cells of bacteria that are alive are equal in number to the number of dead or dying cells.

Answer 1

Stationary phase

Step-by-step explanation:

Bacterial growth curve is divided into four phase lag, log, stationary and death. In the lag phase, the bacterial cell do not grow much faster because most of them are adapting to the new environment.

In the log phase, the bacteria grow exponentially because of the presence of abundant nutrients. In the stationary phase, the number of living cells becomes equal to the number of dying cells. So in the stationary phase, the growth rate of bacteria becomes equal to the death rate of bacteria.

This can occur because the culture reached its carrying capacity. Therefore the correct answer is the stationary phase.