In order for the bacteria to be distributed throughout the liquid, it must be able to survive in either the presence or absence of oxygen. Facultative anaerobic bacteria can surive in both cases, although, they prefer oxygen. In the absence of oxygen, they can produce energy through fermentation. Both microaerophiles and obligate aerobic bacteria require oxygen to survive and, in this experiment, would be found near the top of the tube. Oxygen is toxic to obligate anaerobic bacteria, which would be found at the bottom.

Anaerobic environments lack oxygen, while aerobic environments contain oxygen. Generally, aerobic respiration is more energetically efficient than anaerobic respiration mechanisms. Aerotolerant organisms, however, will continue to use anaerobic means of energy production, even in the presence of oxygen. These are a special class of organism that can survive in either an aerobic or anaerobic environment.

Obligate anaerobes require an anaerobic environment and find oxygen to be toxic. These organisms will not be able to produce ATP in the presence of oxygen. Obligate aerobes require the presence of oxygen in order to survive and cannot produce ATP without oxygen utilization. Facultative anaerobes can switch between metabolism mechanisms, using cellular respiration in the presence of oxygen and fermentation or anaerobic respiration in its absence. Microaerophiles are aerobic organisms, but require a particularly low level of oxygen in order to survive.

Obligate anaerobes are incapable of producing energy in the presence of oxygen, and can only metabolize compounds via fermentation and anaerobic respiration. Oxygen acts as a toxin to obligate anaerobes.

In contrast, obligate aerobes are only capable of aerobic cellular respiration and cannot survive in the absence of oxygen. Facultative anaerobes are capable of multiple respiration mechanisms and can continue to generate energy in a fluctuating atmosphere, in either the presence or absence of oxygen.

Facultative anaerobes are adaptive prokaryotes that can survive in either aerobic or anaerobic environments. These organisms are capable of both cellular respiration, through use of the electron transport chain along the cell membrane, and fermentation. They will adopt the more efficient process (cellular respiration) when oxygen is present, but can easily switch between one metabolism and the other.

Obligate anaerobes cannot produce energy in the presence of oxygen, and obligate aerobes cannot produce energy in the absence of oxygen.

Bacilli is a genus of bacteria that are characterized by their rod-shaped cells. Bacilli can be either gram positive, such as Bacillus anthracis, or gram negative, such as Salmonella enterica. Bacilli bacteria can be either aerobic (require oxygen) or facultative anaerobes (can thrive in both oxygen rich and oxygen poor environment). Bacilli are not exclusively aerobic, nor are they exclusively gram positive.

Fungi are typically characterized based on reproductive methods and structures. All fungi can reproduce asexaully, but only deuteromycetes lack a sexual reproduction phase, only reproducing asexually.

Both plants and fungi consist of eukaryotic cells. Their cells contain membrane-enclosed nuclei and organelles which is a defining characteristic of eukaryotic cells.

Fungi do not photosynthesize. While seedless plants and fungi use spores, this trait is not common to all plants. Plant cell walls are composed of collagen, while fungi use chitin.

The antifungal compound is likely specific to chitin, as it is a common material of many fungi cell wall structures. Chitin is resistant to breakdown, and is actually found in insect exoskeletons. The incorrect answers are found in skin cells as well as fungal cells, and would harm the skin if the chemical attacked these structures.

Most fungi reproduce by creating microscopic spores, which are reproductive cells than can be dispersed by wind, water, or animals. Spores can be generated sexually or asexually. If the scientist disrupts spore formation, the fungus will not be able to spread spores to other areas of the laboratory.

Inhibition of spore formation would limit the fungus's ability to reproduce over distance, however fungi have multiple methods of reproduction and would still be able to generate progeny even if spore production is disabled.

Congregation of hyphae form mycelium, the tissue that allows fungi to absorb nutrients from surrounding food sources. Often, the majority of mycelium mass is not visible to the observer. "Fungal roots" is a misleading answer, even though mycelium looks similar to root structures of plants. Gametangia is where gametes are produced in the fungus.