Bacteria in a petri dish are expected to grow geometrically because they have the ability to reproduce rapidly under favorable conditions. Each bacterium can divide into two identical daughter cells through a process called binary fission. This means that with every division, the population doubles in size.
example, if you start with just one bacterium in a petri dish and it undergoes binary fission, you will have two bacteria. If those two bacteria each divide, you will end up with four bacteria. If those four bacteria divide, you will have eight, and so on. This pattern of doubling the population size with each generation is called geometric or exponential growth.
The growth rate of bacteria is primarily determined by the availability of nutrients, space, and other favorable conditions. , as the population grows larger, it may eventually encounter limitations such as a lack of nutrients or space. These limitations will slow down or halt the geometric growth and lead to a more stable population size.