Question

https://www.ixl.com/science/biology/patterns-of-population-growth
complete the sentences.
the bacterial populations growth rate between hours 15 and 16 was
its growth rate between hours 14 and 15.
its growth rate between hours 17 and 18 was
its growth rate between hours 16 and 17.
its growth rate after 20 hours was
.

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze Growth Rate from Graph

Growth rate is the slope of the population - time graph (change in population / change in time). For the interval 14 - 15 hours and 15 - 16 hours, observe the steepness of the graph. The graph is getting steeper between 14 - 16, so the slope (growth rate) between 15 - 16 is greater than between 14 - 15.

Step2: Analyze 17 - 18 and 16 - 17

Look at the slope between 16 - 17 and 17 - 18. The slope between 17 - 18 is less than between 16 - 17 (the graph's steepness decreases a bit or stays similar? Wait, actually, from the graph, the slope from 16 - 17 and 17 - 18: let's check the population change. Between 16 - 17, say population goes from 5.5 to 8.5 (approx), change is 3. Between 17 - 18, from 8.5 to 11.5, change is 3? Wait, no, maybe my approximation is wrong. Wait, the graph: at t = 15, population is ~2, t = 16, ~3.5, t = 17, ~8.5, t = 18, ~11.5, t = 19, ~13.5, t = 20, ~16. So between 15 - 16: 3.5 - 2 = 1.5 over 1 hour. Between 14 - 15: 2 - 1 = 1 over 1 hour. So 15 - 16 growth rate is greater. Between 16 - 17: 8.5 - 3.5 = 5 over 1 hour. Between 17 - 18: 11.5 - 8.5 = 3 over 1 hour. So 17 - 18 growth rate is less than 16 - 17. After 20 hours, the graph becomes flat, so growth rate is 0 (since population doesn't change).

Answer:

1. The bacterial population's growth rate between hours 15 and 16 was greater than its growth rate between hours 14 and 15.
2. Its growth rate between hours 17 and 18 was less than its growth rate between hours 16 and 17.
3. Its growth rate after 20 hours was 0 (or very close to zero, as the population becomes constant).