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How to Get Colorful Bacteria in a Petri Dish

Bacteria can be found in all corners of the globe, and it is only a matter of swabbing some onto a readied petri dish to help it grow and prosper. Bacteria grows into a variety of shapes and colors, but there are certain places that you can look to find the most colorful types available. Images of colorful bacteria are used for art projects as well as science experiments due to the interesting shapes and textures that can develop.

Things You'll Need

Swab
Petri dish
5 g agar
Distilled water
Pan
Plastic wrap
Hand sanitizer
Sealable plastic bag

Instructions

- 1
  Boil one-fourth cup of water. Put hand sanitizer on your hands. Add the agar to the boiling water and stir to completely dissolve. Allow the mixture to cool for five minutes.
- 2
  Remove the top from the petri dish and place the agar mixture into the bottom portion. Cover loosely with the top of the dish and allow to cool for one hour.
- 3
  Use your cotton swab to collect bacteria by rubbing it over a surface. Colorful bacteria grows in mud, places around your house such as the bathroom and kitchen, in your mouth and on your pets.
- 4
  Rub the surface of the hardened agar mixture within the petri dish with the cotton swab. Do this gently multiple times over the surface. Do not press too hard into the mixture.
- 5
  Place the petri dish in a sealable plastic bag in a mildly warm area of your home. Allow the bacteria to grow anywhere from one to three days to find colorful bacteria within the dish. Throw the entire sealable bag away after you are finished for you own protection and safety.

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