Thread: Bacterial Growth

I need a refresher on how to calculate bacterial growth when the generation time is known. If a cell double every 4 hour then at 8 hours we have 2 cells at16 hours we have 4 at 32 hours 8 etc.

My task is to calculate what the population would be if I am starting with 20 cells , the generation or doubling time is 4 hours and 14 days has elapsed?

Thanks

Originally Posted by clemkonan

I need a refresher on how to calculate bacterial growth when the generation time is known. If a cell double every 4 hour then at 8 hours we have 2 cells at16 hours we have 4 at 32 hours 8 etc.

My task is to calculate what the population would be if I am starting with 20 cells , the generation or doubling time is 4 hours and 14 days has elapsed?

Thanks

N(t) is the amount at time t
N(0) is the amount at the start (20)
2 is because it's doing up in powers of 2
t/4 because it doubles every 4 years now every year.

Thanks, this is fantastic

I think there is a typo at t/4 , 14 days gives us 84 generations not sure of the reference to "year"