Biology/observing bacteria
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Question
Hello,
If you get a water sample, how do you know what kind of substances are in it? And how much bacteria it holds? For example, if you will use a microscope?
Thank you.
Hi Lorina
What you can see with a microscope depends a lot on how polluted the water sample is. Cloudy pond water for example may have some algae and small organism you could see but not bacteria. To find out the bacteria present you need to culture the water sample on special media.
To determine the non living materials special chemicals must be used.
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Walter Hintz
Expertise
Science teacher for over 50 years. MSc. in biology. I can answer questions in general biology, zoology, botany, anatomy and physiology and biochemistry.
Experience
I have a MSc in biology and have been a science teacher for over 50 years. At present I am a faculty member at a college and a science consultant at seven catholic schools.
Publications
The Ohio journal of Science
Momentum-The Journal of the Catholic Education Association
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