- In this laboratory investigation, you will observe the effect of several drugs on the heart rate of a small crustation, the Daphnia.
Science ProjectsBIOLOGY
- This project deals with the effect of specific nutrients on the growth of plants. The experimental time is from 3 to 4 weeks, and the preparation time is about 2 weeks.
OBSERVING THE EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN ON PLANT GERMINATION AND GROWTH
- In this project you will be observing and collecting data on the germination and growth of plant seeds under different conditions of pH. The acid pH range will be from pH 2, to pH 7. The time required for this project is approximately 10 days to complete the collection of data, and then time as needed for analysis and report writing.
PLANT GROWTH AND COLORED LIGHT
- Do you think plants will grow better under one color of light than under another? Under which color do you think plants will grow best? In this investigation, you will try to determine the answers to these questions.
RESPONSES OF SOME INVERTEBRATES TO GRAVITY
- The movements of many species of animals are influenced by gravity. Some simple experiments on this type of behavior can be performed with terrestrial snails, slugs, isopods, and other slow-moving invertebrates.
OBSERVING THE EFFECT OF DRUGS ON HEART RATE
- Drugs known as stimulants increase the body’s metabolism. Other drugs, known as depressants, slow the rate of metabolism. Heart rate is one indicator of increased or decreased metabolism. These drugs will affect the heart rate of Daphnia in the same way as humans.
MAKING PLASTER CASTS OF ANIMAL TRACKS
- If you like nature, and studying the things in nature around you, then making and collecting plaster casts of animal tracks just might be for you. Just in your area, there are many animals to make casts from. If you combine this hobby with your vacations and travel, you can collect an even greater variety of casts.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
MAKING A PRINT OF A MAGNET'S MAGNETIC LINES OF FORCE
- The magnetic force around a magnet is a series of areas of attraction, with non-attractive areas between them. We can see these "lines of force" by using iron filings, and with the help of special paper, make a print of them.
MEASURING DISTANCE WITH A LASER
- A laser is a tool that has many uses. One use is as a range finder. A range finder measures distance. With a laser, a few accessory items, and a little trigonometry, you can measure distances with light.
- Detecting Radiation
- You cannot see radiation. However, in this investigation you will be able to see the path of radiation particles. You will construct a chamber containing alcohol vapor and a source of radiation. The radiation produced by the source will cause ions to form along its path. The ions serve as condensation centers for the alcohol vapors leaving a vapor trail which clearly reveals the path of the particle.
CHEMISTRY
- Paper production is one of the most important industries in this country. The United States consumes more than one-third of all the paper produced in the world. Paper is made from wood, more specifically from cellulose, the polysaccharide found in wood. This polysaccharide is long chains of glucose (simple sugar) molecules. Cellulose molecules form long fibers that are held together in the plant material by lignin, a large and complex polymer. In this project you will digest wood by removing the lignin and recover the cellulose in the form of paper. This project will take 2 days.
- Cow’s milk is a mixture of 4.4% fat, 3.8% protein and 4.9% lactose. In this project you will precipitate the protein and use it to prepare a familiar glue. The precipitated protein is known as casein.
- Electroplating uses the process of electrolysis to remove copper molecules from the anode, or positive electrode, and depositing them on an object acting as the cathode, or negative electrode. With practice, and adjustment of procedures, you can copper plate keys and other metal objects.
MAKING CASEIN BASED ARTIST’S PAINTS
- Most paints consist of colored pigments combined with a binder to keep them soft and allow them to spread smoothly on paper or canvas. In this project, you will chemically produce several colored pigments. Then you will prepare the binder by precipitating the protein, casein, from skim milk. This process is how some artist’s paints are made commercially.
