Expert: Walter Hintz - 4/2/2007

Question
If we begin with one bacterium that could divide every 20 minutes what
would be the mass of the entire population produced after 72 hours?

Answer
I just do not have it in me to do this calculation nor do I have the needed formuli.  Sorry Lauren

I am sorry you did not like my answer but surely you realize it could not be answered.  There is no way to calculate the mass of a single bacterium. You could calculate the numbers since there are 216 20 minute periods in 72 hours. The divisions operate through geometric progression  2,4.8,16,32,64,128......(216 times)