Part 1: The Gram Stain Procedure
Question 1. Each of the following is plagiarism. For each statement, choose why is it still
plagairism from the three options below the statements. The numbers can be used more than once,
and one statement may have more than one number. (worth 1 point)
“Dyes are selected for staining based on the chemical properties of the dye and the specimen being
observed, which determine how the dye will interact with the specimen.” – from the textbook
a. Chemical properties of a dye along with the specimen being observed will determine how dyes
are selected for staining.
b. How a dye interacts with a specimen is determined by chemical properties of the dye and of the
specimen being stained.
c. We select dyes based on the specimen we want to stain and the chemical properties of the dye,
which together will determine how dyes interact with the specimen.
1. The important words (words other than the, an, a, and, with, etc.) were re-arranged, but
were not changed.
2. The second part of the sentence is moved to the first part, but otherwise the sentence was
not significantly changed.
3. Part of the sentence is left off, but the remaining part was not significantly changed.
.
.
Watch the Gram staining video (if a link does not work, go to the end of the lab for the web
address) . While there are many variations of a Gram stain, the video shows the typical method.
Answer the next 4 questions based on this video.
Question 2. Why does the video tell us that fresh cultures must be used? DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
THE VIDEO. (worth 1 point)
Question 3. Why is the slide passed above the flame? (worth 1 point)
Question 4. What two stains are used in a Gram stain? (worth 1 points)
Question 5. What other liquids are important for the Gram stain? (worth 2 points)
Question 6. What is the purpose of a Gram stain? Said another way, if you had a bacterial
sample from a patient and didn’t know what was in that sample, what would the Gram stain tell
you? (worth 1 points)
Question 7. What two main shapes of bacteria and what color(s) would you expect to see in a
mixed sample from a patient? Hint: Chapter 1 in the textbook has the shapes. (worth 2 points)
.
.
Part 2: Other staining methods
I created a document with brief descriptions of other staining techniques. Answer the following
questions based on that document and information in the textbook. Remember that information
found on the internet may be incorrect, and much of it is plagiarized.
Question 8. What staining methods would I use if I wanted to determine if a bacterial species that
had a capsule as their outer covering? (worth 2 points)
Question 9. Keeping in mind your answer to number 7, in just a sentence, how are the methods to
determine if a bacterial species that had a capsule different? (worth 1 point)
Question 10. Keeping in mind your answer to number 7, how are the methods to determine if a
bacterial species has a capsule similar, other than they both allow us to visualize capsules?
(worth 1 point)
Question 11. What is one species of microbe with a capsule – remember to use proper format for
a species name. Hint: go to the textbook Chapter 1 to see how the species’ names are written in
the correct format. (worth 2 points)
Question 12. What is the purpose of steaming and then the purpose of cooling when staining
endospores? (worth 2 points)
Question 13. How do we visually differentiate endospores from vegetative cells? (worth 2 points)
Question 14. What do we do if we want to learn with staining of flagella? Do not give me the
method, but the reason for the staining. (worth 1 point)
Question 15. What score will a lab receive if there is plagiarism in it? How many labs can you
miss this semester without receiving an automatic F in the class? (worth 1 point)
