Investigation & Research
BIO 2277-4276-4277
Investigation and research is a class designed for students that do not have any research experience and or who do not have as much experience in proper laboratory etiquette. In this specific lab, I am now able to dissect a scholarly presentation article, complete basic math function that aids in being able to create solutions and I am able to think beyond to box when creating an research experiment protocol along with creating a poster to follow and explain what all did I complete. I believe that If I had taken this course earlier on prior to my senior year, I would have been more efficient in my laboratory classes and I would have more of an idea of the type of research that I would want to be apart of.
R-Research-oriented
E-Efficient
S-Scientific
A-Active
R-Resourceful
C-Creative
H-Honest
REAL TALK with STEVEN A. SMITH
Steven A. Smith is a man that has impacted the Winston Salem State University community. One of the assignments that we had in class was to find someone that attended WSSU anytime before 2010. We were asked to research on the specific persons of choice.
The objective was to research someone and present all the information on them. We were to format the presentation in a scientific method format. Steven A. Smith, my group's person of choice, is one that left WSSU and made something of himself. Through his dedication and commitment, he stuck with what he knew best, and that was being a writer, communicator, an entertainer.
He is one that was fortunate enough to make it to a place where money is no object. Just recently, in 2016, Smith returned to WSSU and donated 250,000$ towards the athletics and mass communications department. He said the he wanted to be able to help students pay for college. Below, you will find a powerpoint presentation that details on Smith's life and how he has impacted the WSSU community.
Daphnia are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because their saltatory swimming style resembles the movements of fleas. They have a translucent body structure making is easy to see its organs clearly under a microscope. Along with the historical figure assignment, we were to research and present a poster on the daphnia.
I hypothesized that if the environment of the daphnia was altered, by either adding sugar, salt or both, then the heart rate of the daphnia would be affected.
REFLECTION:
I personally enjoyed learning about the daphnia and the act of conducting an experiment to test my hypothesis was fun. Daphnia are very very small organisms that swim fast. We were instructed to use a pipet that was snipped at a 45 degree angle. The daphnia are very sensitive creatures. They all ranged in size and age, the older daphnia of course being larger in size as well as being easier to trap.
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I believe that I set up all of my concentrations properly. Unfortunately after trapping the appropriate amount of daphnia I placed them in their appropriate concentration (sugar, salt or both) after a day all of my daphnia died. Prior too, I added two drops of the daphnia food to each test tube. There were many different factors as to what could have killed the daphnia, but tit is still unidentified.
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Overall, I enjoyed working with such organism. Prior to this lab, I had not heard of a daphnia or water flea. This experiment has opened up my mind and way of critical thinking. If I could recommend this specific lab, I would definitely recommend one to work with daphnia. If I could, I would test other elements that could affect the heart rate of a daphnia.
THE FLEAS OF THE SEA: DAPHNIA
HIGHLIGHTING SCIENCE MATH
Solute - substance that dissolves in a solution
Solvent - substance that dissolves another to form a solution.
Solution - A mixture of two or more pure substances.
Mole - A fundamental unit of mass used by chemists
Avogadro's number- 6.02 x 1023 molecules of that substance. Equal to one number
Graduated cylinder- is a common piece of laboratory equipment used to measure the volume of a liquid.
electronic scale-a scale for weighing
pipette- slender tube attached to or incorporating a bulb, for transferring or measuring out small quantities of liquid, especially in a laboratory.
weigh boats- are constructed of rubberized polystyrene, making them easy to handle and flexible.
beaker- tool to weigh volume
Spectrophotometer- an apparatus for measuring the intensity of light in a part of the spectrum, especially as transmitted or emitted by particular substances.
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Examples on Making a Solution:
