Tube A contains 1ml of phage stock that has been added to 9ml sterile media. Tube B contains 1ml from Tube A that has been mixed with 9ml sterile media. If 1ml of the mixture in Tube B is removed and combined with 9ml sterile media in Tube C, what will the total dilution of Tube C be?

1/1000 or 0.001

Explanation:

Serial dilution refers to the systematic dilution of the known concentration through successive suspension of initial volume to a fixed value of diluent.

In the given question, the serial dilution is performed in which the dilution factor will be

DF = volume of added solution / total volume of solution

For tube A

= 1 / 1+9

=1/10 or 10 folds.

For tube B

= 1/10 x 1/10

= 1/100 or 0.01

For Tube C

= 1/10 x 1/10 x 1/10

= 1/1000 or 0.001

Therefore, total dilution of tube C will be 0.001 or 1/1000.