What is the most likely effect if the potato solution was boiled for 10 minutes before being used in a microbiology experiment to observe microbial growth?

• A. The boiling would increase the number of microorganisms in the solution.
• B. Boiling would have no effect on the microorganisms present in the solution.
• C. Most microorganisms present in the solution would be killed, reducing or preventing microbial growth.
• D. Boiling would cause the solution to become more nutrient-rich, promoting more microbial growth.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that boiling a solution involves heating it to 100°C for a certain period, which is a common method used to sterilize or reduce microbial load by killing many microorganisms.
2. Recognize that most microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, cannot survive prolonged exposure to boiling temperatures because their proteins and cellular structures denature and break down.
3. Consider that boiling the potato solution for 10 minutes would significantly reduce or eliminate the viable microorganisms present in the solution before it is used in the experiment.
4. Realize that with fewer or no live microorganisms in the boiled solution, microbial growth observed in the experiment would be reduced or prevented compared to an unboiled solution.
5. Conclude that boiling does not increase microorganisms or nutrient content; instead, it acts as a sterilization step that decreases microbial presence, affecting the outcome of microbial growth observations.