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Dichotomous Key Lab

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Introduction: The Dichotomous key is useful in identifying through description living and nonliving things. The key works by using a process of dividing in two parts, the presents or absents of characteristics in each section. Each section contains a set of questions that farther divide by creating more septicity until the object or organism is identified. Taxonomists use the Dichotomous key commonly because it is quick, easy and through. The process of creating the key is to first identify and list the characteristics that some objects have and others do not. Quantitative and qualitative properties are used in each set in order to narrow down to each organism. Examples include using numbers or colors to single out a particle organism. The next step includes grouping all the objects that have that property into the directed set. All the rest of the objects will be directed to the next set. Being detailed as possible is important to ensuring that the right organism is singled out every time. The objective of …show more content…

We listed the 3 common characteristics, eye color, smiley width and presents of a nose to differentiate and create each set. To begin the part B of the lab, we spread out and observe the variety of seeds to be used in this experiment. We continued to make a list of the common and differing characteristics for each bag of seed. These characteristics included seed shape (round or not round), seed texture (smooth or wrinkled), coat color (light or dark), seed being green or not, stripped or non-stripped pattern, and seed width and length. Using the list created, we then made the first set starting with the smallest category, increasing getting more specific and detailed until each seed character was represented and the seeds were all categorized. After the dichotomous key was created, we then tested it on the seeds to ensure it worked

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