Concept
Bacterial growth curve
Four phases of a batch culture
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High-yield clue
The four phases are lag, log (exponential), stationary, and death; drugs targeting cell walls act best during log-phase growth.
Overview
The plot of viable bacterial numbers over time in a closed (batch) culture, showing four phases: lag, log (exponential), stationary, and death. It is the core model for understanding population growth and antibiotic timing concepts.
Classification
- Batch-culture model
- Lag phase (adaptation)
- Log/exponential phase
- Stationary then death phase
Lab & identification clues
- Generation/doubling-time vocabulary
- Viable-count vs turbidity concept
- Stationary-phase nutrient-limitation vocabulary
Associations
- Endospore formation in stationary phase
- Log-phase susceptibility to cell-wall agents
- Nutrient depletion and waste buildup
Commonly confused with
- Continuous (chemostat) culture
- Death-phase vs stationary-phase
Your notes
Original microbiology concept summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC/WHO topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment selection, infection-control instructions, or specimen-handling guidance.