What are the stages of microbial growth in a closed system?

In a closed system, microbial growth typically follows a sequence of distinct phases that describe how populations increase and eventually stabilize or decline. The correct answer identifies four crucial stages: lag phase, log phase, stationary phase, and death phase.

During the lag phase, microbes adjust to their new environment, synthesizing necessary proteins and preparing for growth, but not yet dividing. Following this is the log phase (or exponential phase), where bacteria divide at a constant and maximum rate, leading to exponential growth. This phase continues until nutrient depletion or waste accumulation occurs.

As resources become limited, the culture enters the stationary phase, where the growth rate slows, and the number of living cells stabilizes due to the balance between cell division and cell death. Eventually, in the death phase, cells die at an exponential rate because the conditions are no longer favorable for survival, leading to a decline in the total population.

This series of phases provides a comprehensive understanding of how microbial populations behave over time in a controlled environment. Other options do not accurately represent the established phases recognized in microbiology related to microbial growth in closed systems.