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How Does Temperature Affect Water Temperature

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With rising average temperatures all over the world, it is important to recognize the significance of the environment’s influence on organisms; it can affect many of their biological mechanisms. Water temperature especially impacts the enzymatic processes and biological activity of aquatic organisms4. All organisms require energy to perform life-sustaining functions such as moving and consuming nutrients, we call this chemical energy conversion metabolism8. Metabolic rates are susceptible to change when variables, such as temperature, are introduced, however do warmer environments positively or negatively affect metabolism? In this study, I observed the rate of motion of aquatic organisms when submitted to a range of temperatures compared to the rate of motion of organisms in a controlled, steady temperate environment. If the water surrounding the organisms is heated, then the rate of physiological movement will increase because studies show an increase in biological activity in correlation with an increase in temperature4. Conversely, if the environment is cooled, then the movement of the organism will decrease.
After collecting a new sample of pond water5, I distributed two to three mL of the sample into two separate petri dishes. Using a thermometer, I measured and recorded the temperature of both samples at room temperature. Through observation with my microscope, I found an organism that existed in both of my samples and focused my studies on it. I used a heat lamp to raise the temperature of the water to 30°C in my experimental group, and I observed and estimated the rate of motion of the organism at each 2°C interval as the temperature decreased after removal from the heat lamp. I then used ice water to help my experimental group decline in temperature from 25°C to 20°C, and continued to observe and record rate of motion of the organism. I also monitored my control group and it’s rate of motion compared to it’s unmanipulated temperature, which was still measured frequently. The behavior of the group of heated and cooled organisms were compared to the control group. For consistency, I created a table of expected behavior and movement described on a ten point scale and used it as my operational

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