Bacteria growing....???????

Im trying/doing this science project about bacteria on the top of the soda cans but the problem is...i dont know how to show the bacteria.....does anyone have suggestions....ive seen people say to use petri dishes but i dont know how to set it up or where to get it......soooooo if there are other ways...please explain it clearly








if there are no other ways


then can you explain how to use/set up and/or where i can buy it (also...ordering from websites stinks cuz it takes weeks for it to get here...so are there any stores that may have them? )





thanxs!!^-^

Bacteria growing....???????
you can do a wipe test on the soda cans - the problem is the growing on petri dishes. You might get around this by melting gelatine, mixing it with sugar and salt, bring to boiling (to remove the bacteria and funghi in the ingredients) and poor into a shallow form (or a petri dish if can get one)





easier would be to ask at a local school or university if they can help you out with a few ready to go petri dishes - I dont think you can buy them in the small amounts you need and precast ones are expensive - the advantage would be that you have clean plates so only the germs from your test would grow





for the wipe test itself: you need to work sterile - that means no germs other than the one on the cans should go onto the plate- for this you need to sterilize what you use (eg the boiling of the petri dishes) Use a moistered cotton swap on the can and spread it over your plate - as a control spread another one just moistured over another plate to see if any germs were in the water you used and also remember never to breathe onto the plates. Cover the plates (petri one have covers included or use wrap to seal them to avoid grems in the air also growing there. Then put the plates into a warm place (34-37°C is best) and let them sit there for at least 24 hours - at this time you should be able to see the first grems forming colonies on your plates
Reply:There is no way to see bacteria without growing it in a petri dish in an autoclave. Maybe the local hospital will allow you to do that in their lab or maybe at your chemistry lab but without this, there is no way of being able to see the bacteria, it is micro. I think avon has a bacteria detector, well they did at one time. I hope that helps. I wouldn't waste my time without the autoclave and petri dished.
Reply:You can never really see a bacteria without a microscope but you can indicate its growth by looking of some type of change in the petri dish like discoloration.
Reply:2 years ago i did an experiment involing growth rate of bacteria and effect of antibiotic discs on it


anyways


go to any medical lab tey will probably have agar which is a nutrient for the bacteria to grow


and at ur school lab or whatever they must have petri dishes (with covers) get teh agar melt it in a water bath and apply it into the petri dishes then use a metal loop don't actually remember what it is called it is a non-reactive metal wire which u put in a flame to sterilise and then pass it on the can top and then swab it on teh agar after it solidifies in the dish then put it in autoclav for it to grow

ivy