Fundamentals of Life Science

Laboratory 1: Applying the Scientific Method to Determine if Yeast is Alive

Group: 405 Team 2 Names Fernando Garca, Regina Alvarez, Mariana de la
Garza, Marcelo Isassi
Introduction:
Even with the diversity of life, all living things have certain characteristics in
common that allow us to distinguish them from nonliving things. For example,
living things are made up of cells, they acquire materials and energy, reproduce,
respond to stimuli, are homeostatic, grow and develop, and have the capacity to
adapt to their environment. The purpose of this experiment is to discern the
presence of life in yeast using the scientific method. If yeast is a living thing, then it
will be able to acquire materials from the environment and produce energy
(metabolism). During metabolism, sugar is broken down to release energy. When
oxygen is present, carbon dioxide and water are also produced. When oxygen is
absent, then carbon dioxide and alcohol are produced. In either case, carbon dioxide
is a product; therefore, if yeast is a living thing, then it will metabolize sugar to
produce carbon dioxide (gas) that will be trapped inside of a balloon, causing the
balloon to increase in size..
Materials and methods:
The materials to be used in this activity are as follows:
Copy of the activity
Yeast
Table sugar
Warm water (about 37C)
4 test tubes
Test tube holder
4 balloons
1 250ml beaker
Wax pencils
1. Determine the roles for each team member:
2. Number the test tubes from 1- 4 then place them in the test tube holder.
3. Add half a spoon full of sugar and half a spoon full of yeast to test tubes 1 and 2,
add half a spoon full of yeast but no sugar to test tubes 3 and 4.
4. Add warm water to all of the test tubes, filling them about full, then
immediately cover each test tube with a balloon.
5. Test tubes 1 and 2 are your experimental groups and test tubes 3 and 4 are your
control groups.
6. Place your thumb over the balloon on each test tube and shake vigorously.
7. Observe the test tubes for 20 minutes, recording the changes in balloons volume
at 10-minute intervals. Did the volume increase, decrease or stay the same?
Record your results in the results table.

8. Based on the experiment that you carried out, determine the investigation
problem, state your hypothesis and identify the independent and dependent
variables. Record them in the scientific method table.
Results:
Scientific method table
Problem (how does Because the yeast blows up the balloon.
the independent
variable affect the
dependent
variable?)
Hypothesis (if this
is done to the
independent
variable, then this
happens to the
dependent
variable)

Adding yeast to the sugar abd water will make the balloon
blow up.

Independent
variable (what
variable are you
testing?)

Yeast.

Dependent variable Balloon.

(What variable are
you measuring?)

Data table
Balloon volume at
time zero

Balloon volume at
after 10 minutes

Balloon volume at
after 20 minutes

Test tube 1

NONE

Totally blown

Balloon poped out

Test tube 2

NONE

Medium

Totally blown

Test tube 3

NONE

NONE

NONE

Test tube 4

NONE

NONE

NONE

Conclusions:

1. How do your results allow you to determine whether or not yeast is a living thing?
It releases CO2 (Carbon oxide)
2. Did your results support your hypothesis? If not, explain what you think the
problem was and what you could have done differently or better.
Yes.
3. Why is it necessary to have both a control group and an experimental group in the
experiment?
To see the differences and compare them.
4. Why do you need two test tubes for each group instead of just one?
To compare the differences.

Evaluation Rubric:
25 points

20 points

15 points

0 points

Procedure

Students
worked
collaboratively,
and correctly
followed the
instructions for
the experiment,
they cleaned up
afterwards

Students
worked
collaboratively,
and correctly
followed the
instructions for
the experiment,
but they didnt
clean up
afterwards

Students works Students

collaboratively, didnt follow
but they didnt instructions.
correctly follow
the instructions
for the
experiment, nor
did they clean
up afterwards

Scientific
method

Students
determined the
problem, stated
the hypothesis
and identified
the
independent
and dependent
variables
correctly.

Students
determined the
problem, stated
the hypothesis
and identified
the
independent
and dependent
variables
correctly.
Two of the
three were
answered
correctly.

Students
Nothing was
determined the filled in
problem, stated correctly
the hypothesis
and identified
the
independent
and dependent
variables
correctly. Only
1 of the
following was
filled in
correctly.

Data

All data was

clearly and
correctly
recorded in the
data table

Data was
The data
recorded in the recorded was
data table, but incomplete.
it wasnt clear

No data was
recorded

Conclusions

Students
answered all 4
questions in
conclusions
correctly

Students
answered 2 or
3 of the 4
questions in
conclusions
correctly

Students
didnt
answer any
of the
questions in
conclusions
correctly

Students
answered 1 of
the 4 questions
in conclusions
correctly