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				This section includes 108 Mcqs, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your Microbiology knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.
| 1. | The oxygen uptake requirements of a microbial population is characterized by the following parameters: μm = 0.2 h-1, K0 = 0.2 mg O2.l-1, Y0 = 0.5 mg dry weight/mg O2 and C0,crit=0.8 mg.l-1 The required concentration of cells is 1000 mg.l-1 and the saturation oxygen concentration of the medium is 5.8 mg.l-1. The required KLa must be greater than | 
| A. | 64 h-1 | 
| B. | 32 h-1 | 
| C. | 16 h-1 | 
| D. | 8h-1 | 
| Answer» B. 32 h-1 | |
| 2. | In a bioreactor, if at a particular time the oxygen transfer rate is 23 kg.h-1, then the oxygen uptake will be | 
| A. | 23 kg.h-1 | 
| B. | less than 23 kg.h-1 | 
| C. | greater than 23 kg.h-1 | 
| D. | 2.3 kg.h-1 | 
| Answer» B. less than 23 kg.h-1 | |
| 3. | A fermentation system has a KLa of 3 s-1 and a C0* of 5 ppm of O2. If the bulk liquid is completely depleted of oxygen, then the oxygen transfer rate will be equal to | 
| A. | zero | 
| B. | 15 mg.l-1.s-1 | 
| C. | 10 mg.l-1.s-1 | 
| D. | 5 mg.l-1.s-1 | 
| Answer» C. 10 mg.l-1.s-1 | |
| 4. | A fermentation system has a KLa of 3 s-1 and a C0* of 5 ppm of O2. If the bulk liquid is saturated with oxygen then the oxygen transfer rate will be equal to | 
| A. | zero | 
| B. | 3 mg.l-1.s-1 | 
| C. | 5 mg.l-1.s-1 | 
| D. | 15 mg.l-1.s-1 | 
| Answer» B. 3 mg.l-1.s-1 | |
| 5. | The effect of increasing the stirrer speed in an unbaffled stirred tank reactor is that | 
| A. | a small increase in stirrer speed will cause the liquid to enter the turbulent flow regime | 
| B. | as the stirrer speed increases, the liquid will continue to circulate and then become turbulent | 
| C. | as the stirrer speed increases, the liquid will continue to circulate. Eventually a vortex will form. | 
| D. | A vortex will form at low stirrer speeds. As the stirrer speed increases the liquid will start to circulate | 
| Answer» D. A vortex will form at low stirrer speeds. As the stirrer speed increases the liquid will start to circulate | |
| 6. | The oxygen absorption rate can be determined by | 
| A. | sodium sulfite oxidation method | 
| B. | dynamic gassing out technique | 
| C. | direct measurement | 
| D. | all of these | 
| Answer» E. | |
| 7. | Industrial paddle agitators turn at the speed of | 
| A. | 20 and 150 rpm | 
| B. | 150 and 300 rpm | 
| C. | 400 and 800 rpm | 
| D. | 1150 rpm | 
| Answer» B. 150 and 300 rpm | |
| 8. | The main function of the dimples provided in the cooling jacket is to | 
| A. | increase the level of turbulence of the cooling water in the jacket | 
| B. | increase the residence time of the cooling water in the jacket | 
| C. | increase the cooling water-jacket wall boundary layer size | 
| D. | all of the above | 
| Answer» B. increase the residence time of the cooling water in the jacket | |
| 9. | The advantage of axial flow impellers over radial flow impellers is that axial flow impellers | 
| A. | provide better lift of solids | 
| B. | provide high shear conditions | 
| C. | provide low shear conditions | 
| D. | are cheaper to build | 
| Answer» B. provide high shear conditions | |
| 10. | Axial flow impellers | 
| A. | provide high shear conditions for breaking up bubbles | 
| B. | provide low shear conditions and are suited for use in shear sensitive procesess | 
| C. | provide direct flow towards the walls of the reactor | 
| D. | none of the above | 
| Answer» C. provide direct flow towards the walls of the reactor | |
| 11. | Reynolds (Rei) number for the impeller is given by (where Di, stirrer diameter; N, stirrer speed, ρ, density of fluid and μ, viscosity of fluid) | 
| A. | DiVρ/μ | 
| B. | Di2Nρ/μ | 
| C. | Di2Vρ/μ | 
| D. | DiNρ /μ | 
| Answer» C. Di2Vρ/μ | |
| 12. | Bioreactors, where vortex is formed, another dimensionless number, __________ is useful. | 
| A. | Stanton | 
| B. | Rayleigh | 
| C. | Bond | 
| D. | Froude | 
| Answer» E. | |
| 13. | What is the effect of the concentration of dissolved salts and sugars on the oxygen transfer rate? | 
| A. | The saturation concentration of oxygen in the medium decreases with the concentration of dissolved salts and sugars, leading to a lower oxygen transfer rate | 
| B. | The KLa of the medium decreases with the concentration of dissolved salts and sugars, leading to a lower oxygen transfer rate | 
| C. | The KLa of the medium increases with the concentration of dissolved salts and sugars, leading to a lower oxygen transfer rate | 
| D. | None of the above | 
| Answer» B. The KLa of the medium decreases with the concentration of dissolved salts and sugars, leading to a lower oxygen transfer rate | |
| 14. | The Intermig impeller is | 
| A. | an axial flow impeller which can be used for the culture of aerobic organisms | 
| B. | directed upwards rather than towards the base of the reactor | 
| C. | a fork shaped extensions to the impeller facilitate bubble break up | 
| D. | All of the above | 
| Answer» E. | |
| 15. | A fermentation system has a KLa of 3 s¹ and a C0* of 5 ppm of O₂. If the bulk liquid is saturated with oxygen then the oxygen transfer rate will be equal to | 
| A. | zero | 
| B. | 3 mg.l¹.s¹ | 
| C. | 5 mg.l¹.s¹ | 
| D. | 15 mg.l¹.s¹ | 
| Answer» B. 3 mg.l¹.s¹ | |
| 16. | If the stirring speed increased from 300 to 500 rpm leads to an increase in the reaction rate by two folds. Then it may be concluded that | 
| A. | the reaction was mass transfer limited at 300 rpm | 
| B. | the reaction was mass transfer limited at 500 rpm | 
| C. | the reaction did not involve any mass transfer step | 
| D. | the movement of molecules in the reactor at 300 rpm occurred due to diffusion alone | 
| Answer» B. the reaction was mass transfer limited at 500 rpm | |
| 17. | In aerobic microorganisms cultures radial flow impellers are used because | 
| A. | they provide energy efficient high turbulent mixing conditions | 
| B. | they provide low shear mixing conditions | 
| C. | they provide high shear mixing conditions | 
| D. | they ensure that bubble size is maximized leading to high oxygen transfer rates | 
| Answer» D. they ensure that bubble size is maximized leading to high oxygen transfer rates | |
| 18. | The volume of liquid (VL) in a cylindrical reactor can be calculated from the liquid height (HL) and tank diameter (Dt) using the following equation | 
| A. | VL = 4/3 x π x HL x Dt³/8 | 
| B. | VL= HL x π x Dt²/4 | 
| C. | VL= HL x π x Dt² | 
| D. | VL = 4 x π x Dt² | 
| Answer» C. VL= HL x π x Dt² | |
| 19. | The oxygen uptake requirements of a microbial population is characterized by the following parameters: μm = 0.2 h¹, K0 = 0.2 mg O₂.l¹, Y0 = 0.5 mg dry weight/mg O₂ and C0,crit=0.8 mg.l¹ The required concentration of cells is 1000 mg.l¹ and the saturation oxygen concentration of the medium is 5.8 mg.l¹. The required KLa must be greater than | 
| A. | 64 h¹ | 
| B. | 32 h¹ | 
| C. | 16 h¹ | 
| D. | 8h¹ | 
| Answer» B. 32 h¹ | |
| 20. | Penetration theory assumes that turbulent eddies travel from the bulk of the phase to the interface where they remain constant for a constant exposure time (te). The model correlating KL, mass transfer coefficient and DAB, diffusivity can be expressed as | 
| A. | KL = 2(DAB/πte)^0.25 | 
| B. | KL = 2(DAB/πte)^0.5 | 
| C. | KL = 2(DAB/πte)^0.75 | 
| D. | KL = 2(DAB/πte) | 
| Answer» C. KL = 2(DAB/πte)^0.75 | |
| 21. | Which of the following impeller is used in situation where strong vertical currents are desirable for suspending heavily particles? | 
| A. | Propeller | 
| B. | Paddle | 
| C. | Turbine | 
| D. | None of these | 
| Answer» B. Paddle | |
| 22. | In a tall reactor, oxygen transfer rates will be | 
| A. | highest at the surface of the reactor | 
| B. | highest at the base of the reactor | 
| C. | highest in the middle of the reactor | 
| D. | the same throughout the reactor | 
| Answer» C. highest in the middle of the reactor | |
| 23. | Power number is expressed as | 
| A. | P₀ / N²Di³ρ | 
| B. | P₀ / N³Di⁵ρ | 
| C. | P₀ / N³Di³ρ | 
| D. | P₀ / N²Di²ρ | 
| Answer» C. P₀ / N³Di³ρ | |
| 24. | Surface renewal theory predicts that the mass transfer coefficient is | 
| A. | directly proportional to the square root of the molecular diffusivity | 
| B. | inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular diffusivity | 
| C. | directly proportional to the cube root of the molecular diffusivity | 
| D. | indirectly proportional to the cube root of the molecular diffusivity | 
| Answer» B. inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular diffusivity | |
| 25. | When liquid is pumped through cooling coil in a stirred tank reactor to cool. Which of the following is not correct? | 
| A. | If the stirrer speed is increased, the rate will be faster | 
| B. | Baffles in the tank will increase the rate of cooling | 
| C. | Faster cooling rates at a slower rate of pumping | 
| D. | Faster cooling rates at a faster rate of pumping | 
| Answer» D. Faster cooling rates at a faster rate of pumping | |
| 26. | Transient flow range of mixing speed is obtained for | 
| A. | Rei<10 | 
| B. | 10<Rei<104 | 
| C. | Rei>10⁴ | 
| D. | None of these | 
| Answer» C. Rei>10⁴ | |
| 27. | Why vortexing is undesirable in the agitation of biological systems? | 
| A. | The collision between the cells, impeller and air bubbles will lead to cell damage | 
| B. | Poor mixing despite the use of high stirrer speeds | 
| C. | Mixing will not be in the turbulent region | 
| D. | All of the above | 
| Answer» E. | |
| 28. | In a two-phase system where the continuous phase remains in place, the gas hold up can be expressed as (where Vs and Vt are the superficial gas velocity and bubble rise velocity) | 
| A. | H = Vs/(Vs-Vt) | 
| B. | H = Vs/(Vs+ Vt) | 
| C. | H = Vs/(Vs.Vt) | 
| D. | H = (Vs+Vt)/Vs | 
| Answer» C. H = Vs/(Vs.Vt) | |
| 29. | In the bubble boundary layer, oxygen concentration can be determined by measuring | 
| A. | the steady state oxygen concentration in a mixed aerated reactor before inoculation | 
| B. | the steady state oxygen concentration in a mixed aerated reactor after inoculation | 
| C. | the steady state oxygen concentration in the boundary layer using a micro-probe | 
| D. | volume of oxygen supplied | 
| Answer» B. the steady state oxygen concentration in a mixed aerated reactor after inoculation | |
| 30. | The average fractional gas hold up (H) can be given as (where Zf and Zl are the level of aerated and clear liquid respectively) | 
| A. | H = (Zf-Zl)/Zf | 
| B. | H = Zf/Zl | 
| C. | H = Zf/ZfZl | 
| D. | H =(Zf+Zl)/Zf | 
| Answer» B. H = Zf/Zl | |
| 31. | Power number is ratio of | 
| A. | imposed forced to intertial force | 
| B. | bouyant force to inertial force | 
| C. | gravitation force to inertial force | 
| D. | imposed force to gravitational force | 
| Answer» B. bouyant force to inertial force | |
| 32. | Which device is commonly used for measuring the rate of rotation (rpm) of the stirrer shaft? | 
| A. | Anemometer | 
| B. | Manometer | 
| C. | Tachometer | 
| D. | Barometer | 
| Answer» D. Barometer | |
| 33. | Which of the following number is calculated from the diameter and peripheral speed of the impeller? | 
| A. | Reynolds number | 
| B. | Froude number | 
| C. | Power number | 
| D. | None of these | 
| Answer» B. Froude number | |
| 34. | Laminar flow range of mixing speed is obtained for | 
| A. | Rei<10 | 
| B. | 10<Rei<104 | 
| C. | Rei>104 | 
| D. | None of these | 
| Answer» B. 10<Rei<104 | |
| 35. | What is/are the major difference(s) between disc and turbine type stirrer? | 
| A. | Blades in disc type are projected out beyond the edge of disc while blades are curved one in turbine type | 
| B. | Turbine type requires 50 % less air than disc type for the same yield and energy consumption | 
| C. | Both (a) and (b) | 
| D. | Number of blades in the stirrer | 
| Answer» D. Number of blades in the stirrer | |
| 36. | The reason of using a flat disk in a Turbine is | 
| A. | to create high shear conditions | 
| B. | to break up bubbles more efficiently than the impeller blades | 
| C. | to ensure that the bulk of the energy consumption occurs at the blades | 
| D. | all of the above | 
| Answer» D. all of the above | |
| 37. | At 25°C, the saturation concentration of oxygen in water is 1.26 mmol/l and the partial pressure of oxygen is 1 atm. The Henry's law constant will be | 
| A. | 0.793atml/mmol | 
| B. | 0.207atml/mmol | 
| C. | 1.26 atml/mmol | 
| D. | 8.74 atml/mmol | 
| Answer» B. 0.207atml/mmol | |
| 38. | In a bioreactor, if at a particular time the oxygen transfer rate is 23 kg.h¹, then the oxygen uptake will be | 
| A. | 23 kg.h¹ | 
| B. | less than 23 kg.h¹ | 
| C. | greater than 23 kg.h¹ | 
| D. | 2.3 kg.h¹ | 
| Answer» B. less than 23 kg.h¹ | |
| 39. | Which of the following type(s) of stirrer can be used for microbiological processes? | 
| A. | Mig | 
| B. | Intermig | 
| C. | Turbine | 
| D. | All of these | 
| Answer» E. | |
| 40. | Oxygen transfer rate is increased with an increase in the stirrer speed in aerated bioreactor because | 
| A. | it decrease the bubble size | 
| B. | it decreases the size of the boundary layer surrounding a bubble | 
| C. | it increases the rate of movement of oxygen molecules through the bulk liquid | 
| D. | all of the above | 
| Answer» E. | |
| 41. | For aerated mixing vessels in an aqueous solution, the mass transfer coefficient (kL) co-relating power consumption (Pm) and fermenter volume (V) can be expressed as | 
| A. | kL ∝ (Pm/V)0.33 | 
| B. | kL ∝ (Pm/V)0.66 | 
| C. | kL ∝ (Pm/V)0.50 | 
| D. | kL ∝ (Pm/V) | 
| Answer» B. kL ∝ (Pm/V)0.66 | |
| 42. | Which of the following model holds correct for the two-film theory? (where KL is the mass transfer coefficient, DAB diffusivity and Zf film thickness) | 
| A. | KL = DAB/Zf | 
| B. | KL = DAB | 
| C. | KL = Zf/DAB | 
| D. | KL = DAB.Zf | 
| Answer» B. KL = DAB | |
| 43. | Turbulent flow range of mixing speed is obtained for | 
| A. | Rei<10 | 
| B. | 10<Rei<10⁴ | 
| C. | Rei>10⁴ | 
| D. | None of these | 
| Answer» D. None of these | |
| 44. | A higher liquid height will lead to a higher gas hold up by which the oxygen transfer rate will be | 
| A. | higher throughout the reactor | 
| B. | lower throughout the reactor | 
| C. | higher at the base of the reactor | 
| D. | lower at the base of the reactor | 
| Answer» D. lower at the base of the reactor | |
| 45. | For turbulent flow, Reynolds number is correlated with power number as (where K, a constant which depends on the container geometry and shape of stirrer; Rei, is Reynolds number for agitator; Di, stirrer diameter and N, stirrer speed) | 
| A. | Np = K(Rei)¹ | 
| B. | Np = N2Di(Rei)¹ | 
| C. | Np = K | 
| D. | Can't be correlated | 
| Answer» D. Can't be correlated | |
| 46. | A fermentation system has a KLa of 3 s¹ and a C0* of 5 ppm of O₂. If the bulk liquid is completely depleted of oxygen, then the oxygen transfer rate will be equal to | 
| A. | zero | 
| B. | 15 mg.l¹.s¹ | 
| C. | 10 mg.l¹.s¹ | 
| D. | 5 mg.l¹.s¹ | 
| Answer» C. 10 mg.l¹.s¹ | |
| 47. | The power required by an agitator operating in a gas-sparged system is | 
| A. | lesser than the power required by an impeller in operating at same speed in a gas free system | 
| B. | more than the power required by an impeller in operating at same speed in a gas free system | 
| C. | same as the power required by an impeller in operating at same speed in a gas free system | 
| D. | none of the above | 
| Answer» B. more than the power required by an impeller in operating at same speed in a gas free system | |
| 48. | Which of the following impellers generate a flow parallel to the axis of shaft? | 
| A. | Axial flow | 
| B. | Radial flow | 
| C. | Both (a)and(b) | 
| D. | None of these | 
| Answer» B. Radial flow | |
| 49. | An increase in the heat transfer in the stirred tank reactor will be observed at | 
| A. | higher cooling water temperature | 
| B. | higher stirrer speed | 
| C. | the removal of baffles from the reactor | 
| D. | slower stirrer speed | 
| Answer» C. the removal of baffles from the reactor | |
| 50. | The addition of antifoams to an aerated bioreactor will decrease oxygen transfer rates because antifoams | 
| A. | increase the tendency of bubbles to coalesce | 
| B. | tend to accumulate in the gas liquid interface | 
| C. | reduce the surface tension of the liquid | 
| D. | All of the above answers | 
| Answer» E. | |