Bacterial growth and metabolism can be summarized in 3 points: 1. Bacteria multiply through binary fission and grow in colonies, turbid suspensions, or biofilms. Their growth rate is measured by doubling time. 2. Bacterial growth occurs in four phases - lag, exponential, stationary, and decline - as seen in an idealized growth curve obtained from broth culture. 3. Bacteria metabolize nutrients through various pathways like glycolysis and the TCA cycle to generate energy in the form of ATP. They can adapt and respond to different environmental stresses through stress responses and regulatory systems.