Practices: Study of Microorganisms Including
Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, Algae, Protozoa,
Helminths, and Viruses; Microbial Growth,
Nutrition, Metabolism, Extremophiles, Oxygen
Requirements, and Biofilms; Laboratory Techniques
and Differential Stains; Pure and Mixed Cultures,
Contamination, Colony Morphology, Motility
Testing, and Fastidious Organisms; Microbial
Contributions to Biotechnology, Bioremediation,
Gene Therapy, Food, and Industrial Applications;
Historical and Modern Contributions of
Leeuwenhoek, Hooke, Koch, Pasteur, Semmelweis,
Jenner, Lister, and Others; Scientific Nomenclature,
Genus and Species Classification, and Genomics-
Based Identification Exam Questions Verified and
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Latest Updated 2026
1. The Six I's of studying microorganisms include all of the following except
infection.
2. All of the following are examples of different types of microbiological media except
petri dish.
3. The term that refers to the purposeful addition of microorganisms into a laboratory nutrient
medium is
inoculation.
4. Which of the following is essential for development of discrete, isolated colonies?
solid medium
5. A pure culture contains only
, one species of microorganism.
6. Which of the following will result when 1% to 5% agar is added to nutrient broth, boiled and
cooled?
a solid medium
7. A microbiologist inoculates Staphylococcus aureus into a culture medium. Following
incubation, both Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are determined to be
growing in this culture. What is the most likely explanation?
The culture is contaminated.
8. A microbiologist inoculates Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli into a culture
medium. Following incubation, only the E. coli grows in the culture. What is the most likely
explanation?
The culture medium must be selective.
9. Which method often results in colonies developing down throughout the agar and some
colonies on the surface?
pour plate
10. A common medium used for growing fastidious bacteria is
blood agar.
11. A nutrient medium that has all of its chemical components identified and their precise
concentrations known and reproducible would be termed
synthetic.
12. A reducing medium contains
substances that remove oxygen.
13. Which type of medium is able to distinguish different species or types of microorganisms
based on an observable change in the colonies or in the medium?
differential
14. A microbiologist decides to use a nutrient medium that contains thioglycolic acid. What type
of microbe is she attempting to culture?
anaerobe
15. For which bacterial genus is mannitol salt agar selective?