What is the primary purpose of using a streak plate in analytical techniques?

• A. To measure the concentration of a solution
• B. To isolate pure colonies of microorganisms
• C. To determine the boiling point of a compound
• D. To identify the functional groups in a molecule

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that a streak plate is a microbiological technique used primarily in microbiology, not directly in organic chemistry.
2. Recognize that the main goal of using a streak plate is to isolate individual colonies of microorganisms from a mixed sample.
3. A streak plate involves spreading a small amount of microbial sample over the surface of an agar plate using a sterile loop.
4. As the loop is streaked across the agar, the density of microorganisms decreases, leading to isolated colonies.
5. These isolated colonies can then be used for further study or analysis, ensuring that they are pure cultures of a single type of microorganism.