Binary Fission

This lesson covers:

  1. Quick recap of bacterial cells
  2. How binary fission works 
  3. How to calculate bacterial growth
Illustration of organisms that divide via binary fission including a bacterium and a cat-like creature.

Which type of organism(s) divide via binary fission?

Bacteria 

Animals 

Fungi

Plants 

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Is binary fission a type of mitosis, a type of meiosis, or different from either?

A type of mitosis

A type of meiosis

Different from either

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Illustration of a prokaryotic cell showing its internal structure.

Are bacteria eukaryotic or prokaryotic? 

Eukaryotic 

Prokaryotic

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Diagram showing a cell structure with a question mark indicating a specific part.

Which structure is being indicated on the diagram above?

Flagella

Cell wall

Cell membrane

Plasmid

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Diagram of a cell structure with a question mark indicating a specific part, related to binary fission.

Which structure is being indicated on the diagram above?

Plasmid

Flagella

Cell membrane

Cell wall

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Diagram of a cell showing internal structures with a question mark indicating a specific structure.

Which structure is being indicated on the diagram above?

Cell membrane

Flagella

Cell wall

Plasmid

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True or false? Bacteria are unicellular. This means that when they divide by binary fission they're also reproducing as each new cell is a separate organism.

True

False

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When bacteria divide by binary fission, is it an example of asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction?

Asexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction

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Which two things must a bacterial cell do before it can divide?

Photosynthesis

Differentiate

Grow 

Replicate its genetic material

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Once a bacterial cell has grown and replicated its genetic material, it is ready to divide by binary fission. 


Describe the stages of this process. 

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During binary fission, are the plasmids always split equally between the two new cells?

Yes

No

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What is the mean division time?

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A type of bacteria have a division time of 20 minutes. If the population starts with just one cell, how many bacteria cells would be there after 1h?

8

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Cartoon illustration of a bacterium with a smiling face and tentacle-like structures.

Which three conditions do bacteria require for fast growth? 

Cold

Warm

Plenty of nutrients 

Dry

Moist

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A type of bacteria have a division time of 30 minutes. If the population starts with 100 cells, how many bacteria cells would be there after 4h?

25600

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