What are two ways of killing bacteria?

Answer 1

The answer depends somewhat on where you are trying to control the bacteria. Bacteria are living things, and as such, need certain conditions to live. Most bacteria have a temperature range at which they function best; they also need "food" sources and an environment free of certain toxic chemicals. Some bacteria need oxygen; some don't.

Controlling bacteria, then, means removing the things they need, or changing their environmental conditions. Changing temperature can control bacteria; this is why refrigerating, freezing, and cooking foods all reduce their numbers. Our bodies are even built to do this; a fever is the body's way of trying to make itself a "hostile environment" for infectious agents, including bacteria. (The body also has a "defense" system, in which specialized cells "patrol" the body searching out and attacking invaders; so, in a way, "having a healthy immune system" is another way to control bacteria, within the body.) Bacteria also require a "food source," so, theoretically, removing it from their environment would reduce their population. However, they are very tiny, so the "food" needed would also be in very small amounts, so this is probably not practical or realistically possible (especially if that "environment" is YOU, and they are living off the food you eat!).

Adding chemicals that are poisonous to the bacteria can also control their numbers. Household cleaners, including bleach and plain-old soap, are poisonous to many kinds of bacteria, so washing surfaces with these will reduce their number. Antibiotics are poisonous to bacteria (but not to people!), which is why they are prescribed for bacterial infections of the body. These poisons may compromise the bacteria's physical structure, its ability to metabolize, or its ability to reproduce itself.

Some bacteria are harmed by exposure to certain wavelengths of light, so using special "lights" that produce those wavelengths can destroy them. Many bacteria need water to survive; keeping a surface dry can help control bacterial populations.

Around the house, controlling bacteria can be a matter of recognizing where they can come from and minimizing contamination (i.e., not adding more!). Many raw meats contain bacteria; reducing the number of surfaces these raw meats touch can help. Bacteria can "hide" in scratches; from their perspective, scratches or even rough surfaces are as big as valleys. From our perspective, they are so small we can't clean "inside" them, so we can't remove the bacteria. Keeping raw foods on smooth surfaces can help control bacteria, because we can wash them away more effectively.

Having written all that, I'm REALLY hoping that you didn't mean "control bacteria" in the sense of "Rise up and take over the world, my minions!" LOL

Answer 2

How you kill bacteria depends on the location. Food is cooked to kill bacteria. The temperature kills the bacteria. Hands are washed with soap. The soap dissolves the cell membranes and also removes the bacteria from the skin. Soft drinks, some fruit, and tree leaves are naturally sour. By keeping the pH at 3.2 or less, they kill bacteria. (The low pH does not kill mold.) A number of chemicals kill bacteria. In your body, antibodies, certain immune system cells, along with some special compounds, kill bacteria.

Answer 3

Antibiotics can be of two types, bactericidal or bacteriostatic. A bactericidal antibiotic will actually kill the bacteria usually by interfering with its cell wall or its contents. For example, by interfereing with the metabolic pathway in the cell, the bacteria won't be able to make its own energy and it dies. Penicillin is a bactericidal. Bacteriostatic, on the other hand, will only stop the bacteria from multiplying, but won't actually kill it.

Answer 4

Antiseptics, antibacterial agents, and antibiotics.

Answer 5

1. breaking up the cell wall
2. puncturing the cell membrane
3. inhibiting metabolic pathways