Trusted by millions of Kenyans
LoginRegister
Study resources on Kenyaplex

Get ready-made curriculum aligned revision materials

Exam papers, notes, holiday assignments and topical questions – all aligned to the Kenyan curriculum.

Browse exam papers
Or go directly to:
Class notes Holiday assignments Topical questions Other resources

Explain the physical states of media.

Explain the physical states of media.

Answers

Kavungya
(a) Liquid media – are water based solutions that do not solidify at temperatures above freezing and that tend to flow freely when the container is tilted.
- Also termed as broths or infusions
- Growth occurs throughout the container and presents a dispersed cloudy appearance
Common example – nutrient both (contains beef extract and peptone dissolved in water)

(b) Semi solid media – Exhibits a clot like consistence at room temperature due to presence a solidifying agent (agar or gelatin)
- Commonly used to determine motility in bacteria e.g motility test medium

(c) Solid media – provide a firm surface on which cells can form discrete colonies
- Commonly used in culturing and isolating bacteria and fungi
- Come in two forms (a) Liquefiable and non-liquefiable.
- Liquefiable solid media contain a solidifying agent that changes its physical properties in response to temperature.
- Most common agent in agar – polysaccharide isolated from the red algae – Gelidium
Kavungya answered the question on March 13, 2019 at 05:46

Answer Attachments

Next: Explain the types of cultures in cultivation of micro organisms.

Previous: Define the term Sterilization.

View more General Microbiology Questions and Answers  |  Return to Questions Index

Exams With Marking Schemes

Related Questions