A scientist is studying a form of marine bacteria growing in culture dishes. He noticed that a clear area formed around the mold where the bacteria that had grown in this area died (this is now referred to as a zone of inhibition). In the culture dishes that had no mold, no zones of inhibition were present. Formulate a valid hypothesis based on his observations.

A. The temperature in the lab was too cold for the mold to grow.

B. The mold must be producing a chemical that killed the bacteria.

C. The bacteria must be producing a chemical that killed the mold.

D. The temperature in the lab was too cold for the bacteria to grow.