Draft

Two different strains of bacteria were tested on their ability to display motility using a motility agar containing colorless tetrazolium salt. This agar was initially clear when inoculated with bacteria and was expected to change color to purple as the bacteria reduced the salt as they traversed the agar. This color change would allow bacterial motility to be directly observed. It was expected that both bacteria would change the media from clear to purple because they both reduce tetrazolium salt. The salt is not necessary for motility but allows for it to be visualized with ease. The first strain, Staphylococcus aureus, was not expected to exhibit motility due to the fact that they do not have flagella or any other means of motility. The area of the agar where S. aureus was inoculated was expected to change color, with no observable protrusions spanning away from the site. The second strain, Proteus mirabilis, was expected to change the color of the agar and also display motility by protruding away from the stab inoculation in the agar. P. mirabilis have peritrichous flagella arrangement, suggesting that they are motile and able to move in their environment.