The following phenomenon is responsible for antibiotic resistance in bacteria due to slime production:

Ans. is 'b' i.e. Biofilm formationRef. Greenwood1 s Medical Microbiology, 16th/ep 16, 38, 86Slime is an amorphous, viscid colloidal material that is secreted extracellularly by some bacteria (e.g. Staph epidermidis). The slime remains around the bacteria and provides a matrix in which biofilm formation can take place.In biofilm formation the bacterial colony is spread very thinly (300-400Nm thick) for e.g. formation of biofilms on catheters and prosthetic devices.This biofilm formation in the slime provides antibiotic resistance by restricting access of drugs to the bacterium.