Student

3/21/16

Volta
313
Unit C: Microbial Growth of Petri Dish

Is handwashing an effective way of preventing microbial growth? I think not. My lab

report is going to explain to you the effects of both the dirty side and controlled side with
bacteria on it. Some ways of washing your hands and cleaning them arent effective. My
hypothesis is that when you use the hand sanitizer bottle, you touch the bottle which means the
bacteria would get on your hands and spread. Since many people would touch the bottle, a
buildup of bacteria would occur spreading on your hands once you touch the bottle.
The experiment was being tested with a petri dish and your thumb. First, I removed and
saved the tape from the petri dish. Second, I took a sharpie and drew a straight line dividing the
bottom of the lid. Then, on one side of the line, I wrote the letter C and on the other side, I
wrote the letter D. For the fourth step, I removed the lid and pressed/spreaded my thumb on
the petri dish. (You shouldnt contaminate the wrong side.) Finally, I put the lid back n and
retaped the lid back on and labeled the tape with my name and the sample name.
I had recorded the results of days 1, 2 , 3, and 6.
Results:
Day:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 6

Size:

Very small
compared to the
petri dish

Somewhat small
compared to the
petri dish

It is small
compared to the
petri dish.

Large compared
to day 3

Color:

Bright yellow
color and

Shaded white
color

It is a bright
yellow color

Transparent
Yellow color

transparent
Shape:

Circular form on
the dirty side; wlike shapes on
the clean side

Circular forms
on both the dirty
and clean side.

There are
circular forms
on the dirty side
and controlled
side.

Circular forms
on both sides

Other:

There is a
punctiform
colony on the
control side. The
colony is on a
convex
elevation. The
surface is
smooth and
glistening. There
is possible
growth on the
dirty side and it
is on a pulvinate
elevation.

There is now
possible growth
on the clean side
making both
sides having a
chance of
possible growth.
There are
circular colonies
on both sides.
The elevation of
the controlled
colony is convex.
Its surface is
smooth and
glistening. The
colony on the
dirty side is on
an umbonate
elevation. It is
smooth and
glistening.

On the
controlled side,
there is a
circular colony.
It is on a convex
elevation. Its
surface is
smooth and
glistening. On
the dirty side,
there is a small
form of
punctiform and
its on the
pulvinate
elevation. It has
a rough surface.

On the
controlled side,
there is a
circular colony
and a
punctiform
colony. The
elevation is
pulvinate and its
surface is dry
and powdery.
There is also an
entire edge on
both the dirty
and controlled
side. There is
also a curled
edge on the
controlled side.
On the dirty
side, there is a
circular colony
and its on the
pulvinate
elevation. It is
smooth and
glistening.

The controlled side turned out to have more bacteria and more colonies of punctiform
and circular colonies also. The dirty side had less bacteria and less colonies with some
punctiform colonies. This supports my hypothesis because this shows when you touch the hand

sanitizer, the controlled side as more bacteria because the bottle got contaminated. There was
mostly a surface of smooth and glistening.
In conclusion, my data has showed the effects of the bacteria throughout a 6 day process.
My data has proved how the controlled side has more bacteria and colonies instead of the dirty
side. As I stated, my hypothesis was that there was a buildup of bacteria when people touch the
hand sanitizer. When you touch it, the germs and microbes get on your hand. In reality people
could contaminate the hand sanitizer with dirty microbes by touching many other things. My
hypothesis would be accepted because my data shows that there is more bacteria on the
controlled side not the dirty side.