Science Experiments

Question: Ideas for an experiment….?

Hello,
I am a student in high school and currently doing Physics and Chemistry. We are supposed to do an experiment in groups of four involving students from Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Environmental Systems. There should be some kind of a role of all these subjects. Anyone with any ideas, for a good experiment as it is going to be assessed??
I need an experiment which can be done in a day or in a maximum of two days. Any help will be appreciated thanx.

Answer: You could try making a Winogradski Column. It’s a common microbiological experiment where you pack layers of pond mud and water with wetted cellulose (ripped paper) layers in a glass measuring cyclinder (500mL-2L is really good) and culture the microorganisms in this column over a period of time.

The biological side… you can look at the microorganisms you have under the microscope (paramecium are common in pond water and motile in a drop of water on microscope slides).

The chemistry side… microorganisms deep in the column grow anaerobically (without air) and you will get hydrogen sulfide producers that can be detected by the smell of rotten eggs and the visual presence of black hydrogen sulfide waste deposits deep in your cultured column.

The environmental side… observing the flora in an environmental niche (making columns from flowing verses stagnant ponds may grow different types of columns, or comparing garden mud and tap water to pond mud and water would give visible differences).

The physics side… measuring the electrochemical potential between the top and bottom of your cultured column (see http://www.biofilmsonline.com/cgi-bin/biofilmsonline/ed_contruction_winogradsky.html) before and after culturing the column, and discussing the results in relation to your cultured microorganisms.

It’s a very easy experiment to set up, and you can measure a lot of things over a period of time (eg. measurements every week for five weeks). You can also set up a column exposed to day-light verses one covered with foil to see the difference on what you grow.

You will find protocols for the column on Google… read a couple and follow, making sure you seal the top of your columns whilst culturing them (plastic wrap or parafilm is good).

Best of luck!

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