Student Activity: Scenario Based Research- 

Carbon Dioxide Concentration and Diatom Growth

Introduction:  The IPCC (International Panel for Climate Change) has recently published a global analysis of human impact on the environment.  The report concludes that there is  a correlation between carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere and global temperatures.  Diatoms process a significant portion of the world's carbon dioxide.  The relationship between carbon dioxide concentration and the growth of these diatoms can be studied in the laboratory.

Senario:  The National Science Foundation has asked your scientific team of investigators to evaluate research at Princeton University and make funding recommendations based on scientific quality and potential for new discoveries. Your team has been chosen to evaluate a diatom experiment. In this experiment, a sterile culture of  the single species of diatom,  T. wiessflogii  has been grown in three different concentrations of carbon dioxide.  

Team Assignment: 

1. Using the Internet, library, and/or text resources, write a one page background to better understand the relationship between global carbon dioxide levels, global warming, and the role of photosynthetic diatoms in the carbon dioxide cycle.   Also include a discussion of other factors required for diatom growth. In an experimental research project, this is called the literature search. Include a list of three or more citations (bibliography of sites you visit or books you use)

2. Carefully examine both the procedures and the data sheet provided on the computer.  There are eight factors called dependent variables that carbon dioxide concentration may affect in this experiment over the seven day data collection period.  

3. Make a list of five questions that could be answered directly with the data collected. Choose the one that you believe is the most interesting or important. In an experimental research project, this is called the problem.  Record your problem.

4. Based on your literature search and not the actual data collected, write a prediction of what might happen to the factors you have chosen in your problem in the three carbon dioxide concentrations being tested. This is called the hypothesis. It is an educated prediction based on a literature search or on a simple set of data samples (called preliminary data), but is written before extensive data is collected. 

5. Read the short description of how your selected data was collected.  This section is called the material and methods.  Describe only the general lab design and the equipment used to collect the data you have chosen to use.

 hypothesis.   Construct a table which reflects only the data you are using.  (link to raw data). Be certain to include well labeled headings and units.  Enter your selected data into Excel or a similar graphing program.  Now construct a graph which visually pictures what is happening to your chosen factor in each of the three concentrations of carbon dioxide. Describe in a few sentences what the graph is showing, by stating relationships that you see.  Be sure you have chosen a graph method that displays your specific problem!  This is your results section.

7. Remember, your group is advising the NFS on funding for this project. As a group, you have selected what you believe is an important or interesting problem to examine using this project's data.  Now it's time to evaluate your selection in the context of global issues.  Explain and discuss the importance of your findings.  Does it reveal any surprises?  Does it support your hypothesis?  Does it lead to additional questions? Are there limitations that you see in the data collection?  This is your discussion section.

8. In your last section, restate what has been proved by the data you have selected to analyze. This is your conclusion.