A Hot Tub (With a Water Temperature of 104°F or 40°C)

Question

A hot tub (with a water temperature of 104°F or 40°C) would most likely contain
A) psychrophiles.
B) freezophiles.
C) mesophiles.
D) thermophiles.
E) hyperthermophiles.

Accepted Answer

Mesophiles are microbes that grow best at moderate temperatures, typically around human body temperature (37°C). Since a hot tub's water temperature is much higher (104°F or 40°C), it is unlikely to contain psychrophiles (cold-loving) or freezophiles (organisms that can survive freezing temperatures). While a hot tub is hot, it is not hot enough for thermophiles or hyperthermophiles, which require temperatures above 45°C and 80°C, respectively.