Question

g If a colony of bacteria starts with 1 bacterium and doubles in number every 20 ​minutes, how many bacteria will the colony contain at the end of 16 hours.

Answer 1

Answer: 2.81 x 10∧14 baterias after 16 hours.

Explanation:

Hi, first we have to find how many 20 minute intervals are in 16 hours.

If 1 hour = 60 min, 16hours = 960 minutes (16 h x 60 min / 1 h)

If we divide the 960 minutes (16 hours) by 20 minutes we obtain 48. (960/48)

There are 48 twenty minutes intervals in 16 hours.

Now we have to apply the exponential growth formula:

P (t) = Po (1 +r) ∧t

Where:  

P (t) = population at time t  

P (0) = initial population (1)

r = growth rate (1)

t = time (48)

Replacing with the values given:

P (t) = 1 (1 + 1) ∧48= 2.81 x 10∧14

2.81 x 10∧14 baterias after 16 hours.