Class: BE-210
Group: R1
Members: Mike Dolan, Bethany Gallagher, Robert T Jenkins, Emily McCourt
Date: 4/26/1998
Full Text

Abstract:
The rate of growth of Escherichia Coli bacteria was determined using a Milton-Roy Spectronic 20D spectrophotometer to measure the absorbance of light through a sample every ten minutes. The experimenters sought to determine the dependence of the growth rate of the bacteria on temperature. The growth rate constant of the bacteria at 37 degC during week one was determined to be .01572 + .0056 min-1. The growth rate constant for week two at 37 degC was found to be .01629 + .00161 min-1 and at 42 degC was found to be .01885 + .00309 min-1. The growth rate constant for week three at 37 degC was found to be .01540 + .00194 min-1 and at 32 degC was found to be .01101 + .00063 min-1. From this data, the experimenters concluded that growth rate constant of the Escherichia Coli bacteria was dependant on temperature. Furthermore, the growth rate of said bacteria was observed to follow a different temperature relationship from 32 - 37 degC than from 37 - 42 degC.