Lab: Observing The Weight Of Spinach

Have you ever really wondered how different variables can affect how plants go through photosynthesis? Well, in this experiment, the purpose was to see how various environmental conditions can affect the overall photosynthetic capacity of a specific plant. The factors, light, darkness, cold, and heat were applied to see how the different components would affect the photosynthesis on spinach plants. Each group was given a different factor to test. Out group was given the light factor. The hypothesis for this experiment is that when adding light as a factor, the light will affect the overall plant photosynthesis.

Primates are one of the most interesting mammals on earth, not only because of their complex social structures, but because they hold so many similar characteristics to humans. Primates are often cited as our closest living relatives and on two separate occasions I observed four separate species of primates at the San Diego Zoo that can justify their use of their physical characteristics and behaviors that may be similar as well as different to the other primates and ours.

Bonobo’s are classified within the Genus Pan, Species paniscus.  Pan paniscus is commonly referred to as the pygmy/lesser/dwarf chimpanzee, and gracile ape.  The name bonobo is said to be meaningless, taken from a misspelling on a shipping crate headed to the town of Bolobo in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Primate Info Net) On an interesting note, some taxonomists suggest putting both chimpanzees and bonobo’s in the same Genus as humans, Homo, due to genetic similarities in the species because both are humans closest genetic relatives. (San Diego Zoo 2) (Wildman Et. Al. 2003)

Procedure: Using distilled water, premeasured containers and objects determine displacement of fluids and density of objects. Use ice and heat measure temperatures in Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin.

My lab partners and I performed an experiment that involved placing spinach disks into separate cups of distilled water (dH2O) and 0.2% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) solution to examine photosynthesis in leaf tissue (Department of EEB, 2015). Discovering that the spinach disks quickly floated to the top of the 0.2% NaHCO3 solution and not in dH2O, we wondered if varied concentrations of carbonation would affect the rate of photosynthesis (PS). We tested this by halving the 0.2% NaHCO3 solution (using equal parts dH2O and 0.2% NaHCO3 solution to make 0.1% NaHCO3 solution). I hypothesize that if the spinach disks are placed in the 0.1% NaHCO3 solution, then they will have a slower PS compared to the disks placed in 0.2% NaHCO3. CO2

Order: Carnivora, the various group of placental mammals that have been included over 280 species.

A plant's growth ability is dependent on its ability to acquire the resources it needs to survive. Competition such as interspecific and intraspecific, limiting resources, and population density affect the fitness level of a plant. This experiment was conducted in order to test the capability of collards and radishes to grow in manipulated densities under interspecific and intraspecific competition. I hypothesized that both collard and radish plants will grow more efficiently in single species pots under low-density conditions. I also hypothesized that in the mixed species plots the radishes will be more fit to survive and grow better than the collard plants in both the high and low-density pots. Both high and low density and single and mixed species plots were planted and results were observed. There was a significant

In the beginning of this experiment, our TA added water, salt, and 75/25 hexane/acetone to spinach leaves to a blender and blended the mixture to assume equal amounts for each group and to avoid erros if each student had to do the blending. The addition of the water to the mixture allowed the it to separate into a distinct organic layer after being run in a centrifuge, which was available to be collected at the top of the centrifuge. Salt reduces solubility, which will force the organic parts of the mixture (the desired pigments for example) to separate into the organic layer at the top. Lastly, 75/25 hexane/acetone is added because this is a moderately polar solvent and will useful for both the non-polar and polar pigments present within the spinach leaves. A mixed solution of hexanes and acetone must be used because acetone is very polar, while hexane in very non-polar, and the spinach leaves contain both non-polar and polar pigments in them that are important in the extraction and for further analysis. The mixture was placed in the centrifuge so the solids in the mixture (mostly cellulose) could be separated from the liquids into separate distinct layers for further extraction and testing. In the tube, the organic substances separated into the top layer, whereas the water layer remains at the bottom of the tube below the solid layer made up of mainly cellulose.

The second grade of primates evolved about 53 million years ago, in Eocene epoch. There are five tarsier species that all live in the islands of Southeast Asia, where they inhabit from tropical forest to backyard gardens (Jurmain, et al, 2011). They are considered to be closely related to lemurs and lorises (prosimian family) for the several traits that they share with Grade I primates while having some anthropoid features as well. However, tarsiers have distinctive characteristics that isolate them from other primates. They are categorized as the smallest creatures among the primate species and they are well known for their enormous eyes which is as large as its brain. They are normally nocturnal insectivores but sometimes carnivorous. They catch insects by jumping at them and as they jump from tree to tree, they even hunt for birds while in motion.

The first type of primate I observed was a Bolivian Grey Titi Monkey which is a type of new world monkey species found in areas of eastern Bolivia and also can be found in Brazil. The scientific term for this species is Callicebus donacophilus. These types of monkeys have medium sized body

The Fat-tailed Dunnart’s kingdom is Animalia, Phylum is Chordata, class is Mammalia, order is Dasyuromorphia, and family is Dasyuridae, Genus Sminthopsis.

Kavanagh, M. & Morris, D. (1983). Complete guide to monkeys, apes and other primates. London: Viking Press.

A monkey is a long-tailed, medium-sized member of the order of Primates. The primate order also includes macaques, baboons, guenons, capuchins, marmosets, and tamarins. Monkeys today are a member of two of the three groups of simian primates, the New World monkeys and the Old World monkeys, of which there are 264 known species. Apes and chimpanzees are not scientifically classified as monkeys, a common misconception due to their physical similarities. Some distinguishing features between New World and Old World monkeys include the tail.

The lineage of theropod dinosaurs continues to Paraves (its suborder being theropods) from there it branches out all the way until you reach Aves, which is the clade of birds. There are about 10, 000 species of known birds today.

Salad is any wide variety of various mixture of dishes which including raw or cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains and meats, poultry, seafood, eggs etc.