INTRODUCTION TO THE VIRTUAL LAB
Part 1: Lab Safety—12 points
1. (2 points) There are four safety equipment items that a lab should have. Identify two of these four items.
- Fire extinguisher
- Emergency shower
2. (1 point) Identify one of the three ways to keep your work area safe.
Always disinfect your work space before AND after work.
3. (2 points) There are five recommendations for dressing properly in a lab environment. Name two of these recommendations.
Wear a lab coat or old shirt to cover and protect your clothing. Gloves should be worn to provide a barrier from microbes, stains, and chemicals encountered in the lab.
4. (1 point) There are several safety tips to protect one’s mucous membranes and broken skin. Identify one of the recommended tips.
Do not apply makeup, put in contact lenses, or otherwise perform activities that might introduce lab organisms to your personal space.
5. (3 points) When working in a microbiology lab, it is important to contain spills and discard materials properly. Describe how a spill should be cleaned up safely in a microbiology lab.
Never place spent cultures in the garbage or pour down the sink. This is not normal garbage! Place materials of this nature in the designated disposal area for autoclaving prior to disposal.
6. (3 points) Describe the procedures that one must do before leaving the lab.
- Be sure to clean your microscope and return it to its storage location.
- Put away all cultures and equipment as instructed.
Turn off burners, water baths, and all other equipment and utilities.
Disinfect your work area again. Wash your hands.
Part 2: Biochemical Tests—5 points
7. (1 point) How do you know that no contamination occurred when you inoculated your culture?
No growths that were unexpected developed. if it is a fluid base growth there should be no air born bacteria in the culture. No mold is another way to know no contamination occurred.
8. (1 point) If the biochemical test requires an incubation of 24 hours, what do you need to do?
You have to Make sure the culture incubates for the full 24 hours before observation.
9. (1 point) If your biochemical test requires that a reagent is added, which tool do you need to use?
Separatory funnels
10. (1 point) There are two ways to record the results of a biochemical test. Watch the video found in the Recording Results tutorial. What was the result of the acid from glucose test?
The culture changes to yellow in the presence of acids indicating a positive test
11. (1 point) An important tool available in the VirtualUnknown program is the identification matrix. From the portion of the identification matrix shown in the Identifying Bacteria tutorial, identify at least one bacterium that has a positive result to the arabinose fermentation test.
Part 3: Reference Books—13 points
12. (6 points) The first step of identification of an unknown bacterium is determining if the bacterium is gram-negative or gram-positive.
Using the information found in the gram-negative Enteric Baccilli and