Streak plating is a laboratory technique used to isolate individual colonies of microorganisms from a mixed sample. This method involves using a sterile loop to spread a small amount of the sample across the surface of an agar plate in a series of streaks. As the loop moves across the plate, it dilutes the sample, allowing single cells to grow into distinct colonies. This technique is commonly used in microbiology to identify and study different types of bacteria or fungi. By isolating colonies, researchers can perform further tests to determine the characteristics of the microorganisms, such as their antibiotic resistance or metabolic capabilities.