Page 9 - GPHS Environmental Public Health Standards (Foundation of Public Health) v1
P. 9
Exponential (log) Phase
Most bacteria reproduce by binary fission (is an asexual method of reproduction commonly
found in bacteria). In this process, the bacterium, which is a single cell, divides into two
identical daughter cells.
The exponential phase of growth is a pattern of balanced growth wherein all the cells are
dividing regularly by binary fission and are growing by geometric progression.
