effectiveness of antibiotics

• What can scientists test on bacterial growth?

  Effectiveness of antibiotics and antiseptics
• How do scientists test the effectiveness of antimicrobial solutions?

  By adding soaked filter paper to agar plates
• What does a clear area on the agar plate indicate?

  Bacteria have been killed or cannot reproduce
• What is the method for testing antimicrobial effectiveness?

  1. Soak filter paper discs in solutions.
  2. Use different concentrations or varieties of solutions.
  3. Place discs on agar plate in contact with bacteria.
  4. Include a control disc without antimicrobial substance.
  5. Leave for at least 24 hours at room temperature.
  6. Measure the diameter of the clear area.
• What must be included in the experiment as a control?

  A disc with no antimicrobial substance
• What happens to the antibiotic or antiseptic during the experiment?

  It diffuses through the agar to contact bacteria
• How do you measure the effectiveness of the antimicrobial solution?

  By measuring the diameter of the clear area
• What does the size of the zone of inhibition indicate?

  The effect of the substance on bacterial growth