Two Fun Biology Experiments
Two Fun Biology Experiments
Biology came from two Latin words “bios”, which means life; and “logos”, which means study or science. Combined, biology is the study of life. Biologists are those who choose to be life-long educators of themselves about the wonders of the nature and life processes. And what makes biology education more fulfilling and easier to carry out? It’s with the help of biology experiments.
Here are some important biology experiments that make use of microscope in discovering various phenomena and elements of life forms.
Biology Experiment I: Microscopic Organisms in Action
This biology experiment is considered as one of the oldest kinds in the name of microscopy. It is the production of hay infusion and examining the protozoans that can breed from water and hay.
The materials needed to perform this biology experiment include hay, dried grass or any other dry plants, a dropper, a jar with a stopper or a tight lid, a compound microscope, a slide glass preferably with a circular depression, and tap or distilled water.
The idea is to make hay infusion by filling the jar with water up to two-thirds full, covering it and making it stand undisturbed at a room temperature at an approximate time of one week. To accelerate growth of bacteria, pond water is suggested for use in this biology experiment. But if your goal is to see how hay can grow bacteria, using tap water for this biology experiment is more advisable.
Warning: You should exercise caution in performing this biology experiment, especially in handling the hay infusion. You should not spill it or hold it, especially if you have any open wound as this hay infusion contains bacteria that can be harmful to your health.
The next procedure in this biology experiment is the preparation of the slide with hay infusion. A pre-made glass slide with a depression can be of great help in creating a sort of crate or well where the hay infusion liquid can be placed. Create a well by encircling the depression’s lid part with either grease or petroleum jelly. Drop some water from the hay infusion onto the glass slide’s depression. Then, for the most exciting part of this biology experiment, view the slide that has the hay infusion liquid on under a low power objective. 40x to 100x magnification will do the trick. View the wide variety of protozoans and describe each, better if you can illustrate all of them.
Biology Experiment II: Cellular Division
From animals, now we go to plants and their life processes. In this biology experiment, the roots of plants which grow quickly will be displaying their active cells.
For this biology experiment, you will be needing either an onion, a bean root, or a garlic; a compound light microscope, a glass slide, cover slip and a staining agent such as toluidine blue.
The procedures of this biology experiment include immersing the onion’s bottom part in water until it grows some roots. This part of this biology experiment will take an approximate of four to five days. When the onion’s roots have started to grow a bit less than an inch size, you can start with this biology experiment’s slide preparation part by cutting some of the onion root’s extremities off. Two millimeters long is enough. Put the cut onion parts onto a glass slide. Then, be careful during this part of this biology experiment – cut the roots lengthwise to expose the internal parts of the onion roots. To further expose those internal parts, squash the onion parts with another glass slide. Then, remove the other slide. Now in this part of this biology experiment, you can now add the toluidine blue to stain the nucleus of the onion root’s cells. To quicken the stain and stop the cellular division, you can warm the slide over flame but don’t let it boil. After warming it up, add more stain. Let it rest for some minutes. Then, remove the stain using a pipette or tissue paper. Then, drop about two drops of water and cover the glass slide with a cover slip. Now after that glass slide preparation part of this biology experiment, you can now view your prepared slide under low power objective of the microscope gradually adjusting it to high power objective for better viewing of the details of the onion root’s cellular divison.
If you want to try another cellular division biology experiment, a Drosophila, which is also known as vinegar of fruit fly, in its larva form can be used. The salivary glands of this insect can used for this biology experiment as it can show the cellular division.
Other biology experiments that can make one’s eye open to other wonderful discoveries can be performed. Just don’t forget to have a sense of responsibility and clean up well after each biology experiment and dispose what should be disposed properly.