Seed Lab

In this lab, the purpose was to determine the stability of a substance after adding an acid or a base. The results claim that liver and buffer are the most resistance to change in pH. Looking at figure 3, buffer and liver both maintain a stable pH even with the addition of an acid or base. However, potato and water have less buffer in them since their pHs did change. In figure 3, the potato acid’s pH level decreased by two, and the potato base’s pH level increased by two. The level of pH of a water acid decreased by 4, while the water base’s pH increased by 5. These results all tie to the fact that buffer is a substance that maintains a stable pH; the presence of buffer in organisms help maintain homeostasis by binding or releasing hydrogen

10. A pH scale describes the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance. 0 to 6.9 indicates an acidic solution, 7.1 to 14 indicates an alkaline solution, and 7 indicates a neutral solution.

Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this experiment is to use both cabbage juice and pH paper to determine the pH of household items. This way, we can tell which products are basic and which one are acidic. If we use cabbage juice as an universal pH indicator by comparing it to pH paper then pH determined by the cabbage juice will be unstable because by using cabbage juice, it can be different depending on how diluted it is.

The seeds soaked in the salt solution did not have any change in appearance while the seeds exposed to the vinegar solution generally appeared to become darker in color and shriveled. For the 10% fertilizer solution only one replication produced germination (6 out of the 10 seeds in the petri dish germinated). The seeds that did not germinate for the 10% fertilizer solution appeared darker in color. Seeds exposed to distilled water (control) had germination across every replication group and produced some fairly large sprouts. The 10% soap solution seeds also had germination in every replication group, but the size of the sprouts were not as large as the ones in the control group.

When planting a seed, many factors allow the seed to grow and become a plant. To sprout from the ground, and to survive, seeds need water, air, and a certain temperature. Seeds can get water, oxygen, and sun by being placed at the proper planting depth. Planting depth is the depth at which a seed is placed in the soil. If a seed is exposed to these important needs, it goes through a process called germination. According to the Wise Geek article, “What is Germination?”, “Germination is a process in which a seed or spore awakens from dormancy and starts to sprout.” (“What is Germination?”).

“The pH of a solution is a measure of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution and as such is a measure of the acidity or basicity (sic) of the solution. The letters pH stand for power of hydrogen and the numerical value defined as the negative base 10 logarithm of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions.” (PH, 2002). The pH scale is from 0 to 14. When the pH is higher, the hydrogen ions are fewer and the substance considered alkaline. This means when a pH unit increases by one, there is a tenfold change in the hydrogen ion. For example, if a substance has a 7 pH, it has 10 times as many as hydrogen ions available as 8 pH. A lake having a water pH between 6.5 and 8.5 is considered to be neutral. Researchers tested Peckham Park lake water monthly from August 2015 to April 2016 for water pH levels. A water quality PH test strip taken from a jar and dipped into the lake. After a few minutes, the strip will turn a color and this color determines the pH. The jar the strips came in has a chart of the colors on the back which compared to the color on the strip. The lake tested monthly using the PH test strips, which show the pH level, hardness, toxic, etc. using color-change

To start out this study the difference between acids and bases has to be identified. Acids have very low pHs and have a high concentration of hydronium ions, while bases have a high pH and have a high concentration of hydroxide ions. The difference between strong bases and acids, and weak bases and acids is the amount of dissociation. Strong bases and acids dissociate a large amount and let go of their ions in solution, while weak bases and acids may only let go of some of their ions. This is important because if the unknown solutions aren’t strong acids or bases then using their ions to calculate the pH of the solutions will give false results (Diffen 2012).

pH is also known as a measure of hydrogen ions in a solution. A hydrogen ion is the nucleus of a hydrogen atom being split from its electron. Studying the pH of different types of soil being placed in a control group such as tap water will represent the acidity or alkalinity of the matter. The pH scale begins at 0 and goes all the way up to 14, pH 7 being its neutral point, which isn’t acidic or basic. A neutral point on the acidic scale is in the middle, anything lower than the neutral point (7), is acidic, and anything higher than the neutral point is considered basic or “alkaline”.

Acids are a corrosive substance with a pH less than 7. Acidity is caused by a high concentration of hydrogen ions.

After double fertilization, the ovule matures into a seed, and the ovary matures into a fruit encircling the seed. As the embryo grows the seed stores proteins, oils, and starch.

METHODS/PROCEDURES: In the beginning of the experiment, pea seeds were used in order to perform the experiment. It was extremely important to acquire good, dry, and viable seeds so the process of germination could occur. A handful of these healthy seeds worked best in assisting the experiment. The seeds ability to germinate was a vital information needed to determine the outcome of the experiment.

In this experiment different pH levels ranging from 3 to 11 were used to test the effects on daphnia heart rate. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH ranging from 0 to 6 is acidic, a pH of 7 is neutral, and a pH higher than 7 ranging from 8 to 14 is basic. PH revolves around hydrogen ions (H+). The reason pH levels can be acidic, basic, or neutral is because acids give hydrogen ions away while bases accept hydrogen ions. (Decelles, 2002).

The pH scale is on a scale from numbers 1-14. Numbers 1-6 on the pH scale are considered to be acidic. Number 7 on the pH scale is neutral. Numbers 8-14 on the pH are considered basic. Using the bicarbonate buffer system as an example, explain how buffers work.

The pH of a solution is the measure of the concentration of charged Hydrogen ions in that given solution. A solution with a pH lower than seven is considered to be acidic. A solution with a higher pH is a base. It is very important for organisms to maintain a stable pH. Biological molecules such as proteins function only at a certain pH level and any changes in pH can result in them not functioning properly. To maintain these constant pH levels, buffer solutions are used. A buffer solution can resist change to small additions of acids or base’s. A good buffer will have components that act like a base, and components that act like an acid.

Before a seed can germinate it must first shed the seed coat, a protective outer layer that protects the seed from parasites, injury, and unfavorable temperatures. Inside the seed coat is the embryo which contains the root and first leaves of the plant, called cotyledons. After the seed coat has been shed the root emerges first so that it can absorb water and nutrients. After the roots have come out of the embryo the cotyledons will follow. Some seeds need certain conditions to germinate and go