Aspects of Antibiotics: How Do They Work?

What is antibiotic resistance? How big is this problem? What is causing it, and how can we fight back? Explore all these questions.

How does it kill bacteria? Is your antibiotic selectively toxic? Explain your answer, including the definition of selective toxicity. How could a bacteria become resistant to your antibiotic? Your answer should include the concepts of mutation and natural selection. What are some actions we, as a society, can take to limit antibiotic resistance? For your assigned antibiotic, describe an experiment that you could use to determine if a bacterial sample taken from a person was resistant to your antibiotic. Be sure to describe all steps of the experiment, including your independent, dependent, and control variables.