A hospital uses a new cleaner to disinfect surfaces. Within a few years, many patients are developing infections from a bacterium that is resistant to the disinfectant. How does this happen?

What will be an ideal response?


All populations contain genetic variation. By random chance mutation, some bacteria have the ability to resist the disinfectant. The other bacteria are sensitive and die. This gives the resistant bacteria a survival advantage. Over time, the population of bacteria evolves to contain large numbers of resistant organisms.

Biology & Microbiology

You might also like to view...

Which of the following are strategies employed in habitat conservation?

_____ identifying representative habitats _____ identifying charismatic species _____ identifying countries rich in species _____ identifying areas rich in endemic species _____ establishing a captive breeding program

Biology & Microbiology

During which stage of the cell cycle does DNA replication occur?

a. S phase b. G1 phase c. G2 phase d. G0 phase

Biology & Microbiology

Most cells spend the majority of their lives in _____

a. prophase b. metaphase c. anaphase d. telophase e. interphase f. prophase and anaphase

Biology & Microbiology

Enzymes are most directly involved with 

A. metabolic processes. B. generative processes. C. responsive processes. D. control processes.

Biology & Microbiology