Which statement describes stationary phase?

Which statement describes stationary phase?

• A. Growth accelerates as nutrients become unlimited
• B. Growth slows due to accumulating waste and lack of space
• C. The culture immediately resumes exponential growth
• D. All cells stop metabolic activity

Answer: (B)

In stationary phase, growth slows and the population size levels off because nutrients become scarce and waste products accumulate, leaving little new material for cells to use and physical space limited. Cells remain viable and metabolically active, but division comes to a halt or nearly so, balancing death with growth. That’s why this statement is the best description: it captures the situation where resources are exhausted and waste builds up, preventing further net growth. The other ideas describe conditions not characteristic of stationary phase: accelerating growth would require abundant nutrients, resuming exponential growth would need fresh resources or removal of waste, and all cells stopping metabolism would ignore the ongoing metabolic activity observed during this phase.

In stationary phase, growth slows and the population size levels off because nutrients become scarce and waste products accumulate, leaving little new material for cells to use and physical space limited. Cells remain viable and metabolically active, but division comes to a halt or nearly so, balancing death with growth.

That’s why this statement is the best description: it captures the situation where resources are exhausted and waste builds up, preventing further net growth. The other ideas describe conditions not characteristic of stationary phase: accelerating growth would require abundant nutrients, resuming exponential growth would need fresh resources or removal of waste, and all cells stopping metabolism would ignore the ongoing metabolic activity observed during this phase.