Bacterium E. Coli is a single-cell organism that lives in healthy animals.
It’s most commonly found in the intestines of living beings, but can also be found on produce, water, and animal feed if it is not washed away by chlorine or boiled.
The bacterium can cause serious health problems for humans especially when it enters the bloodstream following ingestion of contaminated food .
One interesting question related to this bacterium is what its maximum average velocity during the journey from the intestinal tract to bladder?
You might be surprised at how much faster than you thought it was!
The average velocity for Bacterium E. Coli may vary depending on many different factors like size, shape of microorganisms etc.
What is the magnitude of the bacterium’s average velocity for the entire trip?
1. Average velocity –
The average rate at which an object is moving in a straight line. Average velocity is the displacement, divided by the time it took to travel that distance.
If a distance is divided by an average velocity and then multiplied by time, you will get an average speed.
If the bacterium’s average velocity traveling from intestinal tract to bladder is .12 centimeters per second, it would move 100 centimeters in 5 seconds or 200 centimeters in 10 seconds.
The average velocity for this process would be .1 cm/s or 1 cm/5 s or 2 cm/10 s or 1 m/20 s etc.
2. Average distance –
The average distance an object travels when traveling at an average velocity.
For bacteria in the intestine, it would be 200 centimeters in 5 seconds or 100 centimeters in 10 seconds etc.
There are several factors that affect the average velocity of Bacterium E. Coli; the two most important determining factors are the size and shape of the bacterium.
When comparing different sized microbes, such as Bacterium E. Coli vs another microbe, such as virus, it’s important to take into consideration that a large object covers more distance in less time than a small object.
Objects with larger diameters move faster due to friction being lower, so it requires less energy for them to move at a given speed.
3. Average time –
The time it takes for the object to travel a certain distance .
For bacterium in the intestine, it would be 100 centimeters in 10 seconds etc.
So, the Bacterium moves with average velocity of .1 cm/5 s and travels 200 cm in 5 second or 100 cm in 10 second etc.
Therefore, the factor to calculate is : Distance/Average Velocity = Time= 200/ .1= 20 cm/s or 100/2= 50 cm/s or 200/5=12 cm/s
It takes 12 cm/5 s to travel 200cm at the average speed of .1 cm per second, so the Bacterium E. Coli moves at 1 m in 20 seconds and has an average velocity of .12 m/s.
4. Average distance / average time = constant –
* Distance/average time = constant (s) * Distance/average time = constant
(s) * (s)=constant and s=20 m/s, 50 m/s.and 12 m/s, then the average velocity of the bacterium is: .12 m/s/.1 cm/5 s=1 m/5 s or .12m/(.1m). In 10 seconds, the bacterium moves: 200 cm/.1 m= 40 cm.
Average velocity is 1m in 10 second and it has traveled 100cm in 10 seconds or 200 cm in 20 seconds etc.
Distance: 100 cm in 20 sec or 200 cm in 1 min etc.
5. Average velocity / average time = constant (m/s)
Distance unit: cm/sec.
Average velocity : .12 m/s/5 sec or .1m in 5 sec.
Time unit: sec. (5 min.)
Average velocity : 1 m/5 s or .12 m/(.1m x 5 s) or 12 m/(.1m x 20 s)(20 sec). In 10 seconds, the bacterium moves: 200 cm/(.1m x 5 s) = 40cm, etc.
The average velocity is 1 m in 20 sec and it has traveled 100 cm in 10 seconds or 200 cm in 1 min etc.
6. Average speed and average velocity –
Average speed : Distance / time = km/h, m/s, cm/min and sec.
Average velocity : distance over time = m/s or cm/min or kmh. etc.
Average velocity: 20 cm in 5 sec. or 100 cm in 10 sec etc., (velocity unit:m).
Average speed: 20 cm / 5 sec. = 4 m/s (velocity unit:m/s).
Distance : 100cm in 10sec or 200 cm in 20 sec etc., (distance unit: cm).
Average velocity: 100 cm in 10 sec or 200 cm in 20 sec etc.(velocity unit:m).
It takes the bacterium 5 seconds to travel the 20cm average distance and average velocity is 12 m/s or 1 m/5 sec. Which gives an average speed of 1,200 m/min (the same as kmh) .
Average velocity = .12 m/s/.1m per 5 s = 1,200 m/min.
