What is the process called in which bacteria grow and reproduce by cell division?

The process by which bacteria grow and reproduce through cell division is known as binary fission. This method is a type of asexual reproduction where a single bacterial cell duplicates its genetic material and divides into two distinct cells. Each resulting cell is an identical clone of the original, which allows for rapid population growth among bacteria under favorable conditions.

Mitosis, while related to cell division, specifically refers to the type of cell division that occurs in eukaryotic cells, not prokaryotic cells like bacteria. Meiosis is another form of cell division, but it is involved in the formation of gametes and results in cells with half the original number of chromosomes, which does not apply to bacteria. Cellular respiration is an energy-producing process that cells undergo, unrelated to reproduction or cell division. Therefore, binary fission is the correct term for bacterial reproduction.