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)

Question

Responses

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

Answer 1

To determine whether the unknown bacterium is a chemotroph, the most appropriate method would be:

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

Chemotrophs obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic or organic molecules, and testing its ability to metabolize inorganic sulfur compounds would help confirm if it uses inorganic substances for energy, which is characteristic of certain chemotrophs.