Author: Biology Junction Team

Teddy Graham Natural Selection Lab

Natural Selection in Teddy Grahams

Introduction

You are a bear-eating monster. There are two kinds of bears that you like to eat: happy bears and sad bears. You can tell the difference between them by the way they hold their hands. Happy bears hold their hands high in the air, and sad bears hold their hands down low. Happy bears taste sweet and are easy to catch. Sad bears taste bitter, are devious and hard to catch. Because of this you only eat happy bears. The happy trait in bears is caused by the expression of a recessive allele. The homozygous recessive condition is being happy. The sad trait is caused by a dominant allele. New bears are born every year (when they are hibernating in their den, the cardboard box), and the birth rate is one new bear for every old bear left from last year.

Materials:

Teddy Bear Grahams, lab worksheet, pencil

Procedure:

1. Obtain a population of 10 bears and record he number of happy and sad bears and the total population number. Using the equation for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, calculate the frequencies of both the dominant and recessive alleles and the genotypes that are represented in the population. Example: If 5 of the 10 bears are happy, then 10 out of 20 alleles would be happy alleles. Therefore the q2 number would be 0.5. You must then determine the q number by taking the square of 0.5.

2. Now, go hunting! Eat 3 happy bears. (If you do not have 3 happy bears then eat the difference in sad bears.)

3. Once you have consumed the bears obtain a new generation from your den (the box). You should only remove seven additional bears from the den for a total of 14 bears.

4. Repeat the procedures again. Be sure to record the number of each type of bear and the total population.

Table:

 

Generations P2 (sad) 2pq (sad) q2 (happy) P q
1. Initial
2.
3.
4.

 

Questions:

1. Describe what is happening to the genotype and allele frequencies in the population of Teddy Grahams?

 

 

2. What would you expect to happen if you continued the selection process for additional generations?

 

 

3. How would the frequencies change if you were to now select for the sad bears?

 

4. Why doesn’t the recessive allele disappear from the population? How is it protected?

 

 

Thumb Wrestling Lab Sample1 Preap

Scientific Method – “I’m All Thumbs”

 

Introduction:

 

What makes a “Class Champion” thumb wrestler? Does thumb diameter, length, or wrist diameter have an effect on the overall chances of winning a thumb wrestling match? If you want to find out the answers to these questions then you have to do some scientific study. Scientific study is not only about plants and animals; it is also about how we function. You will have to use the scientific method to answer thesis questions. Scientific method is the principles and empirical processes of discovery and demonstration considered characteristic of or necessary for scientific investigation, generally involving the observation of phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis concerning the phenomena, experimentation to demonstrate the truth or falseness of the hypothesis, and a conclusion that validates or modifies the hypothesis.

 

Hypothesis:

 

The person with the longest thumb will win the thumb war.

 

Materials:

 

The materials that were used for this lab was a metric ruler, metric tape measure, scissors, string, and a calculator.

 

Methods:

 

First you should choose a partner. Then measure the circumference of your thumb in centimeters at its widest point. Next you measure the length of your thumb, from the tip to the end of its second joint. Then measure the circumference of the wrist over the ulnar knob. Then you copy all of your information on the board onto the table in the results section of the lab.

 

Results:

 

Thumb Circumference Thumb Circumference (cm) Thumb Length (cm) Wrist Circumference (cm) Number of Wins
Cason, Drew 8.4 9 21.5 4
Dittrich, Chad 9 10 24 19
Holt, Brad 8 9.5 21 2
Hooker, Chris 7.1 9.3 21 2
Jones, Jett 8.5 9.8 21 6
Lambert, Scott 9.5 8 23 0
Lewis, Cody 8 9.5 20.5 1
Lockwood, Blake 8.3 8.5 21 0
Lorince, Alan 9.4 9.5 24 1
Moore, Clark 8.5 10 20 1
Phillips, Jaylon 9.3 10 24 1
Simpson, Jonathan 8 8.3 20 0
Smith, Zack 8.3 8.4 22.1 0
Williams, Paul 8.4 8 21 0
Yancey, Jey 9 10 22.5 0

 

Questions:

 

1. Restate your hypothesis: The person with the longest thumb will win the thumb war.

 

2. Which student won? Male: Chad Dittrich Female: Ashley Kersieck

 

3. What were their measurements: Male: thumb circumference-9cm, thumb length -10cm, and wrist circumference-24 cm.

Female Thumb circumference 7.0, thumb length 8.5, and wrist circumference 20.5

 

4. What was the mean thumb circumference of the class? 21.0

 

5. What was the mean wrist circumference of the class? 8.1

 

6. Did all those with larger measurements win their matches? No

 

7. Was your hypothesis correct? Yes

 

8. If not, explain what was different. It was right

 

9. What is the independent variable? Total of each contestant’s wrist and thumb measurements

 

10. What is the dependent variable? The number of

 

11. List the controlled variables in this experiment. Compete only in same sex, and follow all rules.

 

12. Would this be considered a controlled experiment? No

 

13. Explain your answer. Their were too many variables

 

 

Error Analysis:

 

The people wrestling might not have followed the rules by picking their arm up when they were wrestling or people just not trying would affect the outcome. Also people might have written their measurements in someone else’s place, which would affect the outcome as well.

 

Discussion and Conclusion:

 

The male who won the most thumb wrestling matches, nineteen wins, also had one of the longest thumb lengths, 9.0 centimeters. However, three other males with longer thumb lengths, 10.0 centimeters had fewer wins. Therefore the original hypothesis that the person(s) with the longest thumb length would also have the most wins was incorrect. If the measurements for each person were totaled or averaged together, then the persons with the greatest total measurement or highest average would have had the most wins. The current data would support this hypothesis.

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Taxonomy Study Guide B1

Taxonomy Study Guide

What is taxonomy?
Who was the first taxonomist & how did they group organisms?
What language is used today in scientific naming? Which taxonomist was first to use this language?
Who is responsible for our modern naming system for organisms?
The Linnaean classification system is based on what?
What is the Linnaean naming system known as? Describe this system.
What are the two words in a scientific name called & how should they appear in print & when you write them?
Correctly write the scientific name for man.
Why aren’t common names good to use?
What is the modern system of classification based on?
What are taxa?
Name the 7 taxonomic categories listing them from broadest to most specific.
How many kingdoms did Linnaeus divide organisms into?
Name the kingdoms of organisms today & tell the major characteristics of each kingdom.
Give an example of an organism found in each kingdom.
Write the classification hierarchy for one plant or animal.
What is another name for a family tree?
The organism found at the bottom of a phylogenetic tree would be the _______________ of all other organisms on the tree.
Where are the most modern organisms found on a phylogenetic tree?
Phylogenetic trees show possible ______________ relationships among organisms.
What are homologous structures & give an example?
What are analogous structures & give an example?
Which structures indicate a shared common ancestor — analogous or homologous?
Taxonomy based on shared derived characteristics is known as ____________ taxonomy.
Domain systems of taxonomy are based on comparing sequences of _______________.
Name the 3 domains and tell what is included in each group.
Be able to identify organisms using a taxonomic key
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