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Name: ________________________
Teacher’s Name: ________________
Class: ________________________
Date: ________________________
TITLE
How To Use This Lab Skeleton:
The instructions are in ORANGE.
The content is in BLACK. Take out the
orange and type in your responses in
black. You are finished when no
ORANGE remains!
(change this to an original title that sums up the lab)
Prelab Information:
In this investigation, you will be observing the effects of water
entering or leaving the cell. First, you will observe and draw the plant cell in its
natural fresh water. Then you will observe and draw the plant cell in a 5% salt
solution. Next, you will observe and draw the plant cell in a 10% salt solution.
Finally, you will observe and draw the plant cell in distilled water (water without
salt).
PURPOSE: The purpose is the reason why the lab is being done. You type the
purpose of the lab (in your own words) here.
HYPOTHESIS: You type your hypothesis here. A hypothesis is a testable
statement about what you think is going to happen when the experiment is
performed. It should include both a guess AND a reason why you think that guess
is correct.
MATERIALS:
You add a list of what you used.
PROCEDURE:
1. Prepare a 5% salt solution by mixing 5 grams of NaCl with 100mL distilled
water. Mix thoroughly and label.
2. Prepare a 10% salt solution by mixing 10 grams of NaCl with 100mL distilled
water. Mix thoroughly and label.
3. Using a microscope slide and coverslip, prepare a wet mount of an Elodea
leaf in the aquarium water. Observe the leaf at 100X and create and label a
sketch of your observations. BE SURE TO LABEL ALL FIVE PLANT CELL
STRUCTURES ON EACH DRAWING. Make notes on the condition of the
plant cells.
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4. Remove the slide from the stage of the microscope. Using a Pasteur
pipette, place 2 drops of the 5% salt solution on the slide at the edge of the
coverslip. Tear off a small piece of paper towel and place the torn edge on
the slide at the edge of the coverslip that is opposite the side where the
salt solution was placed. The piece of towel should begin to soak up water,
drawing the salt solution under the coverslip as it does so.
5. Replace your slide under the microscope and observe the plant cells at
100X. Create and label a sketch of your observations. Make notes on the
condition of the plant cell.
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5, replacing the salt solution with 3-5 drops of
distilled water.
7. Prepare a new slide and repeat steps 3 through 6, first with a 10% salt
solution and then with 3-5 drops of distilled water.
DATA: Using colored pencils, markers or crayons, neatly draw your data below.
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Elodea Cells in Aquarium Water
Total magnification: ________________
Notes on the condition of the plant cell: __________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Elodea Cells in 5% Salt Solution Then Distilled Water
Elodea cells in ____________________
Elodea cells in ____________________
Total magnification: _______________
Total magnification: _______________
Notes on the condition of the plant cell: _
Notes on the condition of the plant cell: _
________________________________
_______________________________
________________________________
_______________________________
________________________________
_______________________________
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Elodea Cells in 10% Salt Solution Then Distilled Water
Elodea cells in ____________________
Elodea cells in ____________________
Total magnification: _______________
Total magnification: _______________
Notes on the condition of the plant cell: _
Notes on the condition of the plant cell: _
________________________________
_______________________________
________________________________
_______________________________
________________________________
_______________________________
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CONCLUSION:
Use your answers to the following Analysis Questions (which you worked out on
your Rough Copy) to construct a conclusion paragraph. YOU SHOULD NOT SHOW
THE QUESTIONS IN YOUR FINAL DRAFT! Your interesting and well-written
paragraph should contain the answers to all of the questions below. Remember to
use scientific writing (passive voice, no personal pronouns).
1. Was the hypothesis supported or rejected? Why?
2. What is the shape of the typical Elodea cell?
3. What are the small green blobs found inside of the cells? What is their function?
4. What happens to the plant cell as the salt water flows under the coverslip?
5. What happens to the plant cell when salt water is flushed out with distilled water?
6. Which of the four solutions (aquarium water, 5% salt solution, 10% salt solution and
distilled water) were:
a. Isotonic to the cell cytoplasm?
b. Hypotonic to the cell cytoplasm?
c. Hypertonic to the cell cytoplasm?
7.
Which of the four solutions (aquarium water, 5% salt solution, 10% salt solution
and distilled water) caused the cell to undergo:
a. Cytolysis?
b. Plasmalysis?
c. Explain your answer.
8.
What kind of water (salt, fresh or distilled) do you believe that the classroom
Elodea plants are living in? What recommendations can you make to care for the
plant? What should be done for it? What should NOT be done to it?
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After you have finished writing the Conclusion, go back and write the Title. The
Title should be a short statement that sums up what the entire lab was about. Be
creative! The only title you can’t use, is the one your teacher is using!
Last-minute check! Did you use the spellchecking feature to make sure your words
are spelled correctly? Have you removed ALL of the instructions from the lab
skeleton? Are you going to make sure your lab report prints neatly and is stapled
in the upper-left hand corner?