Binary Fission

Question 1

What is binary fission?

Answer 1

Binary fission is the process by which prokaryotic organisms, like bacteria, divide and reproduce

Question 2

What is bacteria?

Answer 2

Bacteria is a single celled organism

Question 3

What is the difference between binary fission and mitosis/meiosis?

Answer 3

Binary fission involves prokaryotic cells whereas meiosis/mitosis involves eukaryotic cells

Question 4

Why is binary fission also referred to as asexual reproduction?

Answer 4

Binary fission is not only a method of cell division, it is also a type of reproduction

Question 5

What two things happen before binary fission occurs in a bacterial cell?

Answer 5

Before a bacterial cell can divide the cell needs to grow in size and the genetic material needs to replicate - both the plasmids + large circular DNA

Question 6

What is bacteria’s division time dependent on?

Answer 6

Bacteria’s division time is dependent on its species and conditions.

Conditions like; warmth, moisture, amount of nutrients

Question 7

What would occur if a bacteria did not have warmth, moisture or plenty nutrients?

Answer 7

Without each of these bacterial cells may divide more slowly or not divide at all

Question 8

1. A bacterial cell has a mean division time of 30 minutes. How many cells would it produce after 3 hours?

Answer 8

3 hours x 60 = 180 mins
1 division = 30 mins
180 mins ÷ 30mins = 6 divisions

1 bacterial cell x 2^6 = 64 bacterial cells

Question 9

2. A petri dish contains 1000 bacterial cells.
   Each cell divides once every 20 minutes.
   How many cell will there be after 4 hours?

Answer 9

4 hours x 60 mins = 240 mins

240 mins ÷ 20 mins = 12 divisions

1000 bacterial cells x 2^12 = 4,096,000 bacterial cells