Bacteria Plates

WARNING!
About these pictures:

Do not try to compare your unknowns with these pictures to figure out your unknown.
It is a very misleading thing to do.

It is not good to try to compare your current unknown to a small picture that doesn't look exactly the same semester after semester and come up with an answer based on that.

• Your organisms are grown on tryptic soy agar (TSA). Many of these pictures are of organisms grown on nutrient agar (NA).
• Organisms can change in appearance based on the age of the culture.
• Your grade depends on you doing the lab work; don’t guess based on pictures or web sites.

Do not use test answers or charts from other semesters.

• Batches of bacteria come from different strains and can take on varying characteristics, including colors and growth patterns.
• We switch batches every semester and your organism will not exhibit the same characteristics as those of previous semesters.

• We have created a PDF for you to document organismal characteristics in your exposure to these bacteria prior to your unknowns. You should make one for slants also.
• Try to understand how to interpret cultural characteristics.
• Compare these images to the way your organism actually grows or looks.
• Take good observation notes while you are working with organisms before you start your unknowns.