Does the Length of the Mealworm Affect How Fast It Can Run?

Mealworms Lab

-Problem:

Does the length of the mealworm affect how fast it can run?

Background information:

Name:

How many legs:

Color:

Length(cm):

-Hypothesis: (Use If, Then, Because)

I predict that ______

______.

-Experiment:

Materials List:

-3 Life Science textbooks- Timer with seconds

-1 meter stick- 1 mealworm

-1 petri dish- Flat surface: table

-Ruler- Sharpie marker

Class instructions

Step 1: Step up the raceway as described below:

- Line up all 3 textbooks on the left edge of the table, with their bindings facing the chairs.

(Be sure there are no gaps between the books.)

- Place the meter stick in front of the book bindings with the cmside lying face up.

- Using the ruler, measure a 1 cm space between the book bindings and the meter stick. This space will

be the raceway.

- Use the sharpie to make a mark on the table at the end of the meter stick (right side).

Step 2: Using the petri dish, retrieve a mealworm from the teacher. Be sure to pick one that is moving around.

When you return to your table, turn the petri dish upside down over your mealworm to keep it in place.

Step 3: Gather background information.

Step 4: When your raceway is ready, have one member of your group raise one hand with a thumb up. Once

every group has done this, the teacher will tell you to place your mealworm in the raceway.

Step 5: Place mealworm at the beginning of the raceway (0 cm). Use the ruler to block your mealworm from

going backwards.If you mealworm starts going before the time starts, let it go and subtract the cm they

travelled. (Measure the start and end cm at the mealworm's nose.)

Step 6: The mealworm will have 1 minute to travel as far as it can for each trial. Record speed as cm/min. If

your mealworm doesn't go forward or goes backwards you will not include the data in the trial.

Step 7: Repeat steps 4-6 until you have 10 trials completed. (or until the class period ends).

Step 8: Clean the sharpie marks off of the table. Return your mealworm to the teacher.

- Collect and Analyze data:

Team Data

Trial / Speed (cm/min)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Mean Speed:

Class Data

Group Letter / Mealworm Length (cm) / Mealworm Mean Speed (cm/min)
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L

Class Mean:

Class Median:

Class Mode:

-Draw Conclusion:(Using the following guidelines, write a Lab Summary – On the back of your graph paper.)

Restate your problem and hypothesis.

Summarize your procedures.

Explain how the MV affected the RV. (What does the graph show?)

Explain whether or not the results supported your hypothesis.

If not, why?

Future experiments.