A bacterial culture grown in a _________________ will not continue to grow exponentially forever, but will stop once the limited nutrients have been consumed.

• A. Open system.
• B. Secure system.
• C. Closed system.
• D. Extended system.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of a 'closed system' in microbiology. A closed system is one where no additional nutrients are added and waste products are not removed, leading to limited resources for bacterial growth.
2. Recognize that in a closed system, bacteria initially grow exponentially during the 'log phase' due to abundant nutrients.
3. Identify that as the nutrients become depleted, the growth rate slows down, leading to the 'stationary phase' where the rate of bacterial growth equals the rate of bacterial death.
4. Acknowledge that eventually, the culture enters the 'death phase' as nutrients are exhausted and waste products accumulate, causing a decline in the bacterial population.
5. Conclude that a bacterial culture in a closed system will not grow indefinitely due to the finite availability of nutrients and accumulation of waste products.