Long description

The x-axis of this graph is labelled temperature in degrees C, and it is divided into ten degree intervals from minus ten at the origin to 120 degrees at the right of the graph. The y-axis is labelled growth rate, and it does not have any units or divisions, so the top of the axis is instead marked with an arrow to illustrate the direction of increase is upwards. The total height of the graph is about 4 and a half centimetres on the image.

Curves are drawn on the graph to illustrate the growth rate for each of five microbe species, A, B, C, D and E, at different temperatures.

The curve for Microbe A starts at minus five degrees, rises to a rounded peak of 1.2 centimetres at plus four degrees, and tails off again to disappear at about 12 degrees. The curve is roughly symmetrical.

The curve for Microbe B appears at plus eight degrees, rises gradually to a rounded peak of 2.7 cm at 39 degrees, and then drops sharply to disappear at 47 degrees.

The curve for Microbe C appears at 41 degrees, rises less gradually to a rounded peak of 3.5 cm at 60 degrees, and then drops sharply to disappear at 67 degrees.

The curve for Microbe D appears at 65 degrees, rises (more gradually than C but less so than B) to a rounded peak of 3.0 cm at 88 degrees, and then drops away to disappear at 96 degrees.

The curve for Microbe E appears at 90 degrees, rises to a rounded peak of 3.0 cm at 106 degrees, and then drops away to disappear at 114 degrees. The shape of the curve for E is very similar to that for C.