A bacterial cell is viewed under a microscope. It doubles every 20 seconds. What is most likely being viewed?
A. binary fission****
B. conjugation
C. Diffusion
D. Thermoregulation
It is Binary fission.Binary fission is a kind of asexual reproduction that is common in prokaryotes such as a bacteria. Think of binary fission like how a bacteria grows in number.
The correct answer is A. binary fission.
Binary fission is a type of asexual reproduction where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. In this process, the parental cell elongates, its DNA replicates, and then the parent cell splits into two equal halves, each containing a complete copy of the replicated DNA. These two daughter cells are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell.
In the given scenario, if a bacterial cell is viewed under a microscope and it doubles every 20 seconds, it indicates that the cell is undergoing rapid division. This rapid division is characteristic of binary fission, making it the most likely process being observed.
It's worth noting that the other options - B. conjugation, C. diffusion, and D. thermoregulation - do not involve the process of cell division or replication, so they are not applicable to this scenario.