Need help to identifying uknowns substance

[blackpencil75]

Now we are testing some substance on medium for micro-bacterial. We want to know how to distinguish (or demonstrate) that substance is nutrition or Growth Hormon. Thank

[JackBean]

Add it to one (or half) of the Petri dish and compare the number of bacteria

[blackpencil75]

But both of them (Nutrition or Growth Hormon) help microbacteria growth. So how you can sure that substance should be Nutrition or that thing should be Growth Hormon.

[mith]

Remove food, add substance. Bacteria die without food.

[JackBean]

But they will also die without growth hormone, won't they?

BTW do bacteria even have growth hormones? Isn't that only case of mammals (or animals?)

[MrMistery]

what's a growth hormone in bacteria? as far as i know if you give bacteria food and oxygen they will grow indefinitely, they don't need any other chemicals to tell them to do so.

[JackBean]

I think so too