Question

Your teacher gives you an unknown bacterium to observe. Select the method that would help you determine whether the bacterium is a chemotroph.(1 point)
Responses

exposing the bacterium to carbon dioxide to see if it fixes carbon
exposing the bacterium to carbon dioxide to see if it fixes carbon

growing the bacterium in an agar tube filled with protein to see if it breaks the organic molecules down
growing the bacterium in an agar tube filled with protein to see if it breaks the organic molecules down

exposing the bacterium to direct sunlight to see if it converts light to chemical energy
exposing the bacterium to direct sunlight to see if it converts light to chemical energy

growing the bacterium in a sulfur solution to see if it breaks the inorganic molecules down

Answer 1

To determine whether the unknown bacterium is a chemotroph, you should select the option that involves evaluating the bacterium's ability to derive energy from chemical compounds rather than from sunlight or photosynthesis.

The best option is:

**growing the bacterium in an agar tube filled with protein to see if it breaks the organic molecules down.**

This method would help determine if the bacterium can metabolize organic molecules for energy, which is a characteristic of chemotrophs.