Making Bacterial Growth Plates {Lab1 - May 12, 2015}

     Our next task was to learn to make bacterial growth plates. We were designated to make agar plates, while our classmates made broth tubes and agar slant tubes. 

Materials:

For this procedure we needed

• 4.6g of nutrient agar
• 200mL of deionized water
• weighing boat
• balance
• large flask
• ice water bath
• Petri plates

Procedure:

      We first weighed out 4.6g of nutrient agar on a weighing boat over the balance. We then took this and placed it into a flask filled with 200mL of deionized water. We then placed the flask in the autoclave in order to sterilize it. 

Flask of nutrient agar and
deionized water to be placed
in autoclave

The Autoclave

     After sterilization, we placed the flask in an ice water bath to cool the agar. Soon, the agar began to slightly solidify. We took sterile Petri dishes and carefully, yet quickly poured the solidifying agar into the dish. To evenly distribute the agar on the bottom of the Petri dishes, we gently rotated the plates in a circle. 

Flask cooling in ice
water bath

Elisabeth expertly pouring
the agar into the plates

       We let the newly filled agar plates cool and sit out over night.  

Results:
    After completing the procedure, we were left with ten agar plates that we can use for our other experiments.

Conclusion/applications:
      We now know how to prepare bacterial growth plates which can be used for future experiments! This applies to the medical field because every sample we take from a patient will be grown on bacterial growth plates such as these.