Explore topic-wise MCQs in Microbiology.

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.

51.

Which of the following will have the largest interfacial area per unit volume?

A. A bubble with a diameter of 1 mm
B. A bubble with a diameter of 5 mm
C. A bubble with a diameter of 15 mm
D. A bubble with a diameter of 50 mm
Answer» B. A bubble with a diameter of 5 mm
52.

For laminar 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(Rei)
D. Np = KNDi(Rei)­²
Answer» B. Np = N2Di(Rei)­¹
53.

Power number (Np) is also known as

A. Froude's number
B. Bond's number
C. Newton's number
D. Rayleigh's number
Answer» D. Rayleigh's number
54.

An aerated bioreactor will increase oxygen transfer rates with the addition of detergents because it

A. enhances bubble coalescence
B. causes bubbles to expand
C. discourages bubble coalescence
D. increases the surface tension of the liquid
Answer» D. increases the surface tension of the liquid
55.

Henry's law relates

A. the partial pressure of oxygen and the saturation concentration of oxygen in the liquid
B. the oxygen transfer rate and the bubble size
C. the oxygen transfer rate and the temperature
D. the oxygen transfer rate to the partial pressure of oxygen in the liquid
Answer» B. the oxygen transfer rate and the bubble size
56.

Which of the following would be best described as an axial flow impeller?

A. An impeller with blades pitched at 45° to the vertical
B. An impeller which directs liquid flow towards the base of the reactor
C. Both (a) and (b)
D. An impeller with blades pitched at 75° to the vertical
Answer» D. An impeller with blades pitched at 75° to the vertical
57.

If liquid density and viscosity remains constant, then the Reynolds number in a stirred tank reactor will vary with the

A. square root of the impeller diameter
B. impeller diameter
C. cube of the impeller diameter
D. square of the impeller diameter
Answer» E.
58.

Which of the following is not classified as an axial flow impeller?

A. A marine impeller
B. A propeller
C. A hydrofoil impeller
D. A Rushton turbine
Answer» E.
59.

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. 0.207atml/mmol
B. 0.793atml/mmol
C. 8.74 atml/mmol
D. 1.26 atml/mmol
Answer» C. 8.74 atml/mmol
60.

In the design of a paddle agitator, the ratio of paddle diameter to tank diameter is normally taken as

A. 0.8
B. 0.5
C. 0.2
D. 0.3
Answer» B. 0.5
61.

Higher temperatures affect oxygen transfer rates by

A. lowering KLa but increasing C*o
B. increasing KLa but lowering C*o
C. lowering KLa and lowering Co
D. increasing KLa and increasing Co
Answer» C. lowering KLa and lowering Co
62.

A cylindrical reactor has a liquid volume of 100,000 litres. It has an aspect ratio the ratio of the channel height to width of 1:1. The height of the liquid in the reactor will be approximately:

A. 3.0 m
B. 1.0 m
C. 7.0 m
D. 5.0 m
Answer» E.
63.

Swirling and vortex formation can be prevented by

A. using diffusion ring with turbines
B. using baffles
C. none of these
D. both ( and (
Answer» E.
64.

Which of the following would be best described as a radial flow impeller?

A. A Rushton turbine
B. An impeller with blades pitched at 45° to the vertical
C. An impeller which directs liquid flow towards the base of the reactor
D. Both ( and (
Answer» B. An impeller with blades pitched at 45° to the vertical
65.

Detergent like substances produced by microorganisms during a fermentation will lead to

A. accumulate at the gas liquid interface
B. decrease the surface tension of the liquid
C. all of the above
D. decrease the rate of bubble coalescence
Answer» D. decrease the rate of bubble coalescence
66.

The oxygen transfer rate in a bioreactor will increase if

A. antifoam is added
B. oil is added
C. increase in the reactor temperature
D. detergent like molecules are added
Answer» E.
67.

The power consumption in a stirring vessel can be assessed by using a

A. strain gauge attached to agitator shaft
B. dynamometer
C. all of these
D. watt meter attached to agitator motor
Answer» D. watt meter attached to agitator motor
68.

A microbial population in a suspension culture will only be limited by oxygen availability if the dissolved oxygen

A. concentration is greater than the critical concentration
B. concentration is less than the critical concentration
C. levels are equal to saturation oxygen level
D. levels are greater than the saturation concentration of oxygen
Answer» C. levels are equal to saturation oxygen level
69.

Power consumption by agitation is

A. a function of operating conditions
B. a function of physical properties
C. all of the above
D. a function of vessel and impeller geometry
Answer» D. a function of vessel and impeller geometry
70.

The range of width for the baffle in the fermenter is __________ times of vessel diameter

A. 1/8 to 1/10
B. 1/10 to 1/12
C. none of these
D. 1/5 to 1/8
Answer» C. none of these
71.

The dynamic technique is based on the

A. change of the oxygen concentration
B. oxygen material balance in an aerated batch fermenter during the growth of microorganisms
C. oxygen material balance in a fermenter
D. oxidation of the sodium sulfite to sodium sulfate
Answer» C. oxygen material balance in a fermenter
72.

Impeller damage can be minimized by

A. using radial flow impellers
B. using specially designed axial flow impellers
C. all of the above
D. using Intermig impellers
Answer» C. all of the above
73.

The maximum solubility of the alkane in the medium is 5 ppm. If the actual dissolved concentration of the alkane in the medium is 1 ppm. what conclusion may be drawn?

A. The growth rate is limited by the intrinsic kinetic properties of the cells and not by mass transfer
B. The growth rate is limited by the rate of mass transfer of the alkane into the fermentation medium
C. No conclusion on the growth rate can be withdrawn
D. The growth rate is neither mass transfer nor kinetically limited
Answer» D. The growth rate is neither mass transfer nor kinetically limited
74.

Which have the maximum resistance while transferring carbon dioxide from the bulk liquid to an air bubble?

A. Moving through the bubble boundary layer
B. Moving through the gas liquid interface
C. Moving through the bulk liquid
D. Moving across the cell membrane
Answer» B. Moving through the gas liquid interface
75.

Flooding is a condition/phenomenon which occur in a bioreactor when

A. The fermenter medium spills out the reactor due to foaming
B. The air escapes without being distributed by the agitator
C. None of the above
D. The volume of foam is more than the volume of broth
Answer» C. None of the above
76.

Which of the following will have the highest surface area available for oxygen transfer?

A. A standing test tube
B. A shake flask
C. A sparged stirred tank reactor agitated at 400 rpm
D. A non-sparged stirred tank reactor agitated at 400 rpm
Answer» D. A non-sparged stirred tank reactor agitated at 400 rpm
77.

What is the ratio of depth of liquid in vessel to the diameter of tank (H:Dt)?

A. 0.0840277777777778
B. 0.0423611111111111
C. none of these
D. 0.167361111111111
Answer» C. none of these
78.

Larger propellers turn at the speed of

A. 150 to 300 rpm
B. 20 to 150 rpm B
C. 1150 rpm
D. 400 to 800 rpm
Answer» E.
79.

When the height of an aerated bioreactor is increased, it will increase the oxygen transfer rate by

A. decreasing the saturation concentration of oxygen in the reactor
B. increasing the partial pressure of oxygen at the base of the reactor
C. all of the above
D. decreasing the gas-holdup
Answer» C. all of the above
80.

To increase the oxygen transfer rate in a shake flask culture system, which of the following (s) is/are followed?

A. Stirrer speed is increased
B. Liquid volume in the flask is reduced
C. All of the above
D. Baffled flasks are used
Answer» D. Baffled flasks are used
81.

Main reason for using baffles in stirred tank reactors are

A. baffles will allow axial mixing to occur even with radial flow impellers
B. baffles permit turbulence conditions to arise at low stirrer speed
C. baffles prevent turbulent conditions in stirred tank reactors
D. both ( and (
Answer» E.
82.

During aeration, a cylindrical reactor had a height of 10 m. Without aeration, the height was 7.5 m. Under these aeration and mixing conditions, the gas hold up in the reactor is

A. 0.75
B. 1
C. 0.25
D. 0.5
Answer» D. 0.5
83.

Henry\'s law relates

A. the oxygen transfer rate and the bubble size
B. the partial pressure of oxygen and the saturation concentration of oxygen in the liquid
C. the oxygen transfer rate to the partial pressure of oxygen in the liquid
D. the oxygen transfer rate and the temperature
Answer» C. the oxygen transfer rate to the partial pressure of oxygen in the liquid
84.

The power required by an impeller in a gas sparged system compare to the power required by impeller operating at same speed in a gas free liquid is usually

A. higher
B. lesser
C. may be lesser or higher depending upon the geometry
D. same
Answer» D. same
85.

Vortexing in stirred tank reactors can be prevented by

A. shifting the impeller to an off-centre position
B. installing baffles in the reactor
C. using axial flow impellers
D. Both ( and (
Answer» E.
86.

Which of the following stirrer requires least amount of energy for same yield?

A. Intermig
B. Mig
C. Disc
D. Turbine
Answer» B. Mig
87.

The rate limiting step in the movement of oxygen from the gas phase in a bubble to the cell is the movement of oxygen molecules through

A. bubble boundary layer
B. gas-liquid interface
C. gas phase
D. bulk liquid
Answer» B. gas-liquid interface
88.

During fermentation, the saturation concentration of oxygen was reduced from 7 ppm. to 1 ppm. Which one of the following conclusions can be drawn?

A. Microbial growth is not oxygen limited since the oxygen concentration is lesser than the saturation concentration
B. Microbial growth is oxygen limited since the oxygen concentration is lesser than the saturation concentration
C. No conclusion can be drawn
D. Experimental error leads to the reduction
Answer» D. Experimental error leads to the reduction
89.

Which of the following is correct for the off-centre impellers?

A. Off-centre impellers should only be used with reactors with volumes less than 10 m3
B. Off-centre impellers can be used with any size reactor
C. Off-centre impellers can be used when volume is greater than 10 m3
D. The impeller should never be placed in an off-centre position
Answer» B. Off-centre impellers can be used with any size reactor
90.

Froude number is avoided in calculation of power requirements for low viscosity liquid mixing systems when

A. Reynolds number is less than 300
B. baffled systems are used
C. none of these
D. both (and(
Answer» E.
91.

Gas hold up, characterizing the hydrodynamics in a fermenter, mainly depends on the

A. power consumption
B. superficial gas velocity
C. gas concentration
D. Both ( and (
Answer» E.
92.

Which of the following is not considered among the three best-known theories of interphase mass transfer?

A. penetration theory
B. two-film theory
C. Calderbank and Moo-Young theory
D. surface renewal theory
Answer» D. surface renewal theory
93.

Pure oxygen, if used instead of air will increase oxygen transfer rates because

A. the bubble size is smaller
B. the saturation concentration of oxygen is higher
C. the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas phase is lower
D. the oxygen transfer coefficient is larger
Answer» C. the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas phase is lower
94.

Small propellers turn at the speed of either

A. 150 or 300 rpm
B. 20 or 150 rpm
C. 1150 rpm or 1750 rpm
D. 400 or 800 rpm
Answer» D. 400 or 800 rpm
95.

Which of the following is most likely to cause an increase in the rate of oxygen transfer into a particular aerated fermentation system?

A. Increase in temperature
B. Addition of antifoams
C. Both ( and (
D. Increase in stirrer speed
Answer» E.
96.

A typical ceiling fan would be best described as a(n)

A. axial flow impeller
B. radial flow impeller
C. Rushton turbine
D. intermig impeller
Answer» B. radial flow impeller
97.

A flooded impeller will lead to poor oxygen transfer rates because

A. bubbles tend to break down too rapidly under high shear conditions
B. bubbles tend to coalesce under the impeller
C. the cells clog up the surface of the bubble
D. bubbles tend to move too quickly through the bulk liquid
Answer» C. the cells clog up the surface of the bubble
98.

What is the ratio of diameter of impeller to the diameter of tank (Da:Dt)?

A. 0.0840277777777778
B. 0.04375
C. 0.0451388888888889
D. 0.167361111111111
Answer» C. 0.0451388888888889
99.

Which of the following best explains the reasons for using axial flow impellers in crystallization and precipitation reactions?

A. Crystals and precipitates are thoroughly broken down, so as to ensure easy separation of the solids from the mother liquor
B. Crystal and precipitates are not too small, so as to ensure easy separation of the solids from the mother liquor
C. Axial flow impellers provide low shear, energy efficient mixing conditions
D. Both ( and (
Answer» C. Axial flow impellers provide low shear, energy efficient mixing conditions
100.

Which of the following impellers are used for wide range of viscosities?

A. turbines
B. paddles
C. none of these
D. propellers
Answer» B. paddles