UMUC Biology 102/103
Lab 1: Introduction to Science
INSTRUCTIONS:
On your own and without assistance, complete this Lab 1 Answer Sheet electronically and submit it via the Assignments Folder by the date listed in the Course Schedule (under Syllabus).
To conduct your laboratory exercises, use the Laboratory Manual located under Course Content. Read the introduction and the directions for each exercise/experiment carefully before completing the exercises/experiments and answering the questions.
Save your Lab 1 Answer Sheet in the following format: LastName_Lab1 (e.g., Smith_Lab1).
You should submit your document as a Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) file for best compatibility.
Exercise 1: Data Interpretation
Dissolved oxygen is oxygen that is trapped in a fluid, such as water. Since many living organism requires oxygen to survive, it is a necessary component of water systems such as streams, lakes and rivers in order to support aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen is measured in units of ppm (parts per million). Examine the data in Table 4 showing the amount of dissolved oxygen present and the number of fish observed in the body of water the sample was taken from; finally, answer the questions below.
Post-Lab Questions
1. What patterns do you observe based on the information in Table 4?
As the parts per million of dissolved oxygen increases by 2 parts per million the number of fish observed increases. Once the PPM reaches 12 the ratio of fish declines showing diminishing returns.
2. Develop a hypothesis relating to the amount of dissolved oxygen measured in the water sample and the number of fish observed in the body of water.
A body of water may affect the parts per million of dissolved oxygen and the number of fish observed. If the dissolved oxygen levels increase, then the number of fish observed will also increase.
3. What would your experimental approach be to test this hypothesis?
Collect water samples from