Question

A specific type of bacteria reproduces through binary fission every two hours. If there are seven bacteria to begin with how many bacteria will there be after four hours

Answer 1

28 bacteria cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Binary fission is a form of division similar to mitosis, employed by bacteria to replicate its cell. Like mitosis, binary fission gives rise to two identical daughter cells from each successive division. According to the question, the bacteria cell undergoes binary fission every two hours i.e. each cell divides into two daughter cells every two hours.

Now, if there are seven (7) bacteria cells that started the binary fission process, it means they will multiply into 14 in the first two hours.

N.B: 1 bacteria gives rise to 2 daughter bacteria cells. Hence, 7 bacteria will give rise to (7×2=14) daughter cells.

In the next two hours, each 14 daughter cell will undergo another round of binary fission to produce (14 × 2) = 28 daughter bacteria cells.

Therefore, at the end of the four hours, 28 bacteria cells will have been produced from 7 bacteria via binary fission.

Answer 2

Twenty-eight (28) bacteria

Step-by-step explanation:

Binary fission involves the production of 2 cells from a single cell.

At the beginning of reproduction, there were seven bacteria and binary fission takes place every two hours.

At the end of the first two hours, each of the seven bacteria would have divided into two to make a total of fourteen bacteria.

AT the end of the second two hours (making four hours now), each of the fourteen bacteria will divide into two to give a total of twenty-eight bacteria.

Hence, there will be a total of twenty-eight (28) bacteria after four hours.