The time between inoculation and the beginning of growth in a microbial culture is referred to as:

• A. Lag phase.
• B. Log phase.
• C. Dormant phase.
• D. Exponential growth phase.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of microbial growth phases. Microbial cultures go through several distinct phases during their growth cycle.
2. Identify the characteristics of the lag phase. This phase is marked by the time between inoculation and the start of active growth, where cells are adapting to the new environment.
3. Differentiate the lag phase from other phases such as the log phase, which is characterized by rapid cell division and exponential growth.
4. Consider the dormant phase, which is not typically used to describe active microbial growth but rather a state of inactivity.
5. Recognize the exponential growth phase as another term for the log phase, where the population size increases rapidly.