Question

Generation time is the time required for a microbial population to double in number.

(a) True

(b) False

This question was addressed to me during an interview.

My doubt stems from Cell Growth Kinetics in chapter Homogenous Reactions of Bioprocess Engineering

Answer 1

Right option is (a) True

The explanation is: A generation time is simply the time it takes for one cell to become two. When growing exponentially by binary fission, the increase in a bacterial population is by geometric progression. If we start with one cell, when it divides, there are 2 cells in the first generation, 4 cells in the second generation, 8 cells in the third generation, and so on. The generation time is the time interval required for the cells (or population) to divide.