docs.google.com/document/d/1L6uCgCepOGE_sCwif3MmkXheluM8ZIp24COZwqggdtI/edit
Purpose
The purpose of this lab was to measure the glucose levels in our blood sugar, but above all the purpose of this lab was to observe how homeostasis works and how it is affected when various tasks are performed.
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was that if you consume 43 grams of sugar (independent variable), then your blood sugar or glucose levels (dependent variable) will return to homeostasis within 30 minutes of consumption.
Procedure
Materials
Results
Participant
Initial Glucose level
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level ten minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose level 20 minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level 30 minutes after
Drink
(mg/dl)
Participant 1
Sugar
115
155
126
105
Participant 2
Sugar
115
114
112
N/A
Participant 3
Water
127
123
125
N/A
The N/A in this situation means that the participant reached homeostasis before the time allotted. Out of all three participants, participant 1 processed sugar the slowest while participant 3 processed water much faster. Participant 2 processed sugar almost as quickly as participant 3 processed water. This tells us that participant 2’s body processes sugar very quickly. Participant 1 processed sugar very slowly, and this prompted the group to time for an extra 10 minutes.
Data
Participant
Initial Glucose level
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level ten minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose level 20 minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level 30 minutes after
Drink
(mg/dl)
Participant 1
Sugar
115
155
126
105
Participant 2
Sugar
115
114
112
N/A
Participant 3
Water
127
123
125
N/A
The N/A in this situation means that the participant reached homeostasis before the time allotted. Out of all three participants, participant 1 processed sugar the slowest while participant 3 processed water much faster. Participant 2 processed sugar almost as quickly as participant 3 processed water. This tells us that participant 2’s body processes sugar very quickly. Participant 1 processed sugar very slowly, and this prompted the group to time for an extra 10 minutes.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Observations
Throughout this project it was observed that timing is difficult. The timing was messed up on multiple occasions which might have led to inaccuracy. Another observation was that one of our participants could return to homeostasis very quickly after consuming the 43 grams of sugar, while other participants returned to homeostasis more gradually. It was observed that some participants had to use a deep setting on the lancet in order to draw enough blood for the test strip to read the glucose levels.
Analysis and Discussion
Figures 1 and 2 show the subject’s blood sugar levels. Participant 1 drank the soda. This subject’s blood sugar rapidly rose then fell back down to normal over the course of 30 minutes. Participant 2 also drank the soda. Their blood sugar actually fell in the 10 minute period which probably means they process sugars faster that the first participant. Participant 3 was the control and just drank water with no sugar added to it. Their blood sugar started and ended in about the same place as expected because they had no sugar added, so nothing really changed. The third figure, the bar graph, shows the time it took for each participant to return to homeostasis. The measure was by minutes after each participant drank. From this graph you can determine that the amount of sugar consumed increases the amount of time that is necessary to return to homeostasis.
My hypothesis was proven because all participants returned to homeostasis within 30 minutes of consuming the 43 grams of sugar.
In the process of this lab a lot of things were discovered. Homeostasis is achieved within different time frames for different people. From the two participants that drank soda, one returned to homeostasis significantly quicker than the other. This shows that homeostasis is not achieved equally in all subjects.
It was our first time with these instruments so we made a few mistakes. The lancing device was frightening since the only way to attain the blood sample was by stabbing ourselves with a needle. This is why we kept the device on the lower settings, and it didn’t go deep enough in our skin to produce enough blood. Cold hands also do not produce a sufficient amount of blood and that was a reason lots of strips were wasted. This caused us to have to go buy more which wasted half a work day. Our group also messed up quite a few times when it came to timing. According to our procedure, we were supposed to apply the blood on the strip as soon as the timer went off for the most accurate data, but our group did it five minutes after the timer went off because we did not getting a sufficient amount of blood. A few interferences occurred during our work session that affected the accuracy of the data such as the fire alarm going off during our timing.
Although this project was easy there was still room for improvement. Our procedure was not planned out each specifically so that the amount of human error would be reduced and that affected our results. By pricking ourselves a minute or two earlier the amount of time wasted could be completely avoided. Cold hands was also another problem so if this project was to be done again, we would warm up our hands to get a healthier amount of blood. Another idea that we could test is the effects of eating sugary foods compared the results to drinking sugary liquids. If the materials were available, the group should have tested our blood sugar more often because person 3 drank sugar but returned to homeostasis after 10 minutes.
This experiment can lead to further investigations in two ways. Either do the entire procedure the same except replace the independent variable with solid sugary food and compare the results or you can take out the concept of sugar and replace it with something else like sodium.
Reflection
We found that all participants returned to homeostasis within 30 minutes of consuming sugar. We tested our initial glucose levels and then drank 43 grams of sugar. After that we set a timer, testing our blood sugar every 10 minutes and observed when it returned to homeostasis. Evidence of this can be observed in figure 1 where the time it took for each participant to return to homeostasis is shown in a line graph. The time frame and the glucose levels show that all participants returned to homeostasis within 30 minutes. This is the Analysis section in Scientific Theory. In figure 2 you can see very clearly the jump in participant 1’s blood sugar levels and the consistency of participant 2’s blood sugar levels. This means 2 was processing sugars very quickly while 1 needed more time to return to homeostasis. This observation is part of the Analysis section in Scientific Theory.
In this lab, we were really good at drinking the soda within the time frame, and this went well. Something that went poorly was the lack of blood produced which caused a lot of strips to be wasted. I learned that I am good at keeping track of time so when we do experiments, I can remember and tell the time that we need to record data. I gained the skill of manipulating data and numbers and putting them into graphs, like with the results shown in the info-graphic in my link (at the top of this page). I will continue to do work in a more time-efficient manner. I will also try to ask more questions to better understand the material.
The purpose of this lab was to measure the glucose levels in our blood sugar, but above all the purpose of this lab was to observe how homeostasis works and how it is affected when various tasks are performed.
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was that if you consume 43 grams of sugar (independent variable), then your blood sugar or glucose levels (dependent variable) will return to homeostasis within 30 minutes of consumption.
Procedure
- Obtain a glucose monitor
- Record initial glucose level of 2 people from finger tips in data table
- Two students consume 43 g of sugar immediately
- After ten minutes, record glucose levels of two students with sugar
- After another ten minutes, record glucose levels of the two students, and continue every ten minutes until student reaches homeostasis (initial glucose level)
- Record the glucose level of one new student
- New student must drink 12 oz. of water
- After ten minutes, record the glucose levels of this student.
- Wait another ten minutes and test glucose levels again of the same student, recording in data table
- Test every 10 minutes until return to homeostasis
- Create a bar graph of glucose levels vs time
- Create a line graph of glucose levels vs time
- Create a bar graph of time of return to homeostasis
Materials
- Truetrack Glucose Kit
- 1 Can of Crush Orange Soda (43 g of sugar)
- Our Blood
- Phone (timer)
- Water
Results
Participant
Initial Glucose level
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level ten minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose level 20 minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level 30 minutes after
Drink
(mg/dl)
Participant 1
Sugar
115
155
126
105
Participant 2
Sugar
115
114
112
N/A
Participant 3
Water
127
123
125
N/A
The N/A in this situation means that the participant reached homeostasis before the time allotted. Out of all three participants, participant 1 processed sugar the slowest while participant 3 processed water much faster. Participant 2 processed sugar almost as quickly as participant 3 processed water. This tells us that participant 2’s body processes sugar very quickly. Participant 1 processed sugar very slowly, and this prompted the group to time for an extra 10 minutes.
Data
Participant
Initial Glucose level
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level ten minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose level 20 minutes after drink
(mg/dl)
Glucose Level 30 minutes after
Drink
(mg/dl)
Participant 1
Sugar
115
155
126
105
Participant 2
Sugar
115
114
112
N/A
Participant 3
Water
127
123
125
N/A
The N/A in this situation means that the participant reached homeostasis before the time allotted. Out of all three participants, participant 1 processed sugar the slowest while participant 3 processed water much faster. Participant 2 processed sugar almost as quickly as participant 3 processed water. This tells us that participant 2’s body processes sugar very quickly. Participant 1 processed sugar very slowly, and this prompted the group to time for an extra 10 minutes.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Observations
Throughout this project it was observed that timing is difficult. The timing was messed up on multiple occasions which might have led to inaccuracy. Another observation was that one of our participants could return to homeostasis very quickly after consuming the 43 grams of sugar, while other participants returned to homeostasis more gradually. It was observed that some participants had to use a deep setting on the lancet in order to draw enough blood for the test strip to read the glucose levels.
Analysis and Discussion
Figures 1 and 2 show the subject’s blood sugar levels. Participant 1 drank the soda. This subject’s blood sugar rapidly rose then fell back down to normal over the course of 30 minutes. Participant 2 also drank the soda. Their blood sugar actually fell in the 10 minute period which probably means they process sugars faster that the first participant. Participant 3 was the control and just drank water with no sugar added to it. Their blood sugar started and ended in about the same place as expected because they had no sugar added, so nothing really changed. The third figure, the bar graph, shows the time it took for each participant to return to homeostasis. The measure was by minutes after each participant drank. From this graph you can determine that the amount of sugar consumed increases the amount of time that is necessary to return to homeostasis.
My hypothesis was proven because all participants returned to homeostasis within 30 minutes of consuming the 43 grams of sugar.
In the process of this lab a lot of things were discovered. Homeostasis is achieved within different time frames for different people. From the two participants that drank soda, one returned to homeostasis significantly quicker than the other. This shows that homeostasis is not achieved equally in all subjects.
It was our first time with these instruments so we made a few mistakes. The lancing device was frightening since the only way to attain the blood sample was by stabbing ourselves with a needle. This is why we kept the device on the lower settings, and it didn’t go deep enough in our skin to produce enough blood. Cold hands also do not produce a sufficient amount of blood and that was a reason lots of strips were wasted. This caused us to have to go buy more which wasted half a work day. Our group also messed up quite a few times when it came to timing. According to our procedure, we were supposed to apply the blood on the strip as soon as the timer went off for the most accurate data, but our group did it five minutes after the timer went off because we did not getting a sufficient amount of blood. A few interferences occurred during our work session that affected the accuracy of the data such as the fire alarm going off during our timing.
Although this project was easy there was still room for improvement. Our procedure was not planned out each specifically so that the amount of human error would be reduced and that affected our results. By pricking ourselves a minute or two earlier the amount of time wasted could be completely avoided. Cold hands was also another problem so if this project was to be done again, we would warm up our hands to get a healthier amount of blood. Another idea that we could test is the effects of eating sugary foods compared the results to drinking sugary liquids. If the materials were available, the group should have tested our blood sugar more often because person 3 drank sugar but returned to homeostasis after 10 minutes.
This experiment can lead to further investigations in two ways. Either do the entire procedure the same except replace the independent variable with solid sugary food and compare the results or you can take out the concept of sugar and replace it with something else like sodium.
Reflection
We found that all participants returned to homeostasis within 30 minutes of consuming sugar. We tested our initial glucose levels and then drank 43 grams of sugar. After that we set a timer, testing our blood sugar every 10 minutes and observed when it returned to homeostasis. Evidence of this can be observed in figure 1 where the time it took for each participant to return to homeostasis is shown in a line graph. The time frame and the glucose levels show that all participants returned to homeostasis within 30 minutes. This is the Analysis section in Scientific Theory. In figure 2 you can see very clearly the jump in participant 1’s blood sugar levels and the consistency of participant 2’s blood sugar levels. This means 2 was processing sugars very quickly while 1 needed more time to return to homeostasis. This observation is part of the Analysis section in Scientific Theory.
In this lab, we were really good at drinking the soda within the time frame, and this went well. Something that went poorly was the lack of blood produced which caused a lot of strips to be wasted. I learned that I am good at keeping track of time so when we do experiments, I can remember and tell the time that we need to record data. I gained the skill of manipulating data and numbers and putting them into graphs, like with the results shown in the info-graphic in my link (at the top of this page). I will continue to do work in a more time-efficient manner. I will also try to ask more questions to better understand the material.