What is petri dish?

A Petri dish is a shallow cylindrical glass or plastic lidded dish that biologists use to culture cells – such as bacteria, fungi, and small mosses. These dishes provide a contained environment where microorganisms can grow under controlled conditions.

Key aspects of Petri dishes:

• Usage: Primarily used for culturing microorganisms, allowing for observation of growth, colony morphology, and other characteristics. See more about culturing microorganisms.
• Material: Typically made of clear glass (can be sterilized and reused) or polystyrene plastic (disposable).
• Size: Available in various sizes, with the diameter commonly ranging from 50 to 150 mm.
• Applications: Widely used in microbiology, cell biology, medicine, and other research fields for various experiments such as antibiotic sensitivity testing and cell culture.
• Agar: Often filled with a nutrient-rich agar gel that provides the necessary food and moisture for microorganisms to grow. Learn more about agar.