Lab 2: The Chemistry of Life

Lab 2: The Chemistry of Life

Assignment Review

The Biology Lab Household Substances Acidic or Basic and Surface Area and Volume assignments are some of the simplest in the course. The lab assignments are easy for some students and difficult for others. pH is a concept that is widely understood, and you will need to answer some basic questions about common household items. The best way to prepare for this is to test these items with litmus paper, otherwise known as pH paper, prior to completing the assignment. This will give you a good idea about which items are acids and which are bases as well as their relative pH levels.

While the first experiment is fairly straightforward, the second experiment can get a bit tricky. You’ll be provided with three cubes here which measure 1 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm, 1 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm, and 1 cm x 1 cm x 6 cm. First, you’ll need to determine several factors about the way color diffuses into these cubes; this is done via an experiment performed electronically. Then, you’ll need to explain why the surface area and volume of the cubes affected the ways in which the color was diffused. Finally, you will need to provide an explanation of which cube would be the most efficient at diffusing color and explain why.

Essentially, this means that the same amount of color will be applied to each cube and each cube will be allowed to rest for the same period of time. Then, the cubes will be evaluated to determine the amount of diffusion present. Using your knowledge of mathematics and cube diffusion equations, you can use the measurements of the cubes to determine exactly how volume and surface area played a role in the diffusion – as well as how they affected each other.

Should you need more help with LAB 2 please feel free to ask.