Notes for the sciene fair

UPDATED:

Like I promised, after our CA, I would upload the screenies. Here it is.

Well, we went to the biotech fair a few weeks ago.
Due to the upcoming CA (Tomorrow!), we've not been very active on the blog. This will probably be the last update until the end of CA, so you can be sure that we'll be updating it frequently after the CA. Anyway, this are the biotech notes that we've taken down.


Thanks Nicholas for the notes, which he complied into a word document.

Here's the file link:
http://www.box.net/shared/2kvjjdvsn6


Like i said, after the CA, you can expect more things to be updated. So right now this file is only available to download. I'll post it up onto the blog using screen capture soon enough.

The procedures for Grain Staining

Apparatus used :

• Metal Inoculation Loop
• Glass Slide
• 4 Grain Stains; Iodine, Safranin, De-colorizer and Methyl Violet
• Bunsen Burner
• Distilled Water

Procedures :

1. Heat the Metal Inoculation Loop over a Bunsen Burner
   
2. Collect some bacteria and place it on the glass slide
3. Wash the Metal Inoculation Loop and heat it again
4. Use the Metal Inoculation Loop to collect a drop of Distilled Water
5. Position the drop of Water unto the middle of the Glass Slide
6. Evaporate the water over the Bunsen Burner
7. Stain the bacteria by using Methyl Violet and Iodine for 1 min, Followed by using the De-colorizer and Safranin for 10 seconds

Our progress on bacteria.

So well, we've already started our investigations and such. We've already taken the school toilet and currencies and tested them out in the science lab. As we speak, we're growing the bacteria on the alga- thingy. The one with alot of nutrients. (Haha, i don't know the name of it. :) ) So i'll update the results again on next coming monday where we'll get the results.

Our science center trip

Umm so our group has went to the science center today and has learnt alot of stuff about project work and so on, i hope we can improve on our project after this meaningful trip(although a little boring). 

Survey Questions

Here are a bunch of survey questions that we’ve thought off.
1: How often do you visit the toilet?
2: Do you think currency or the toilet is cleaner?
3: Do you wash your hands after you use the toilet? If yes, do you use soap?
4: Do you flush the toilet after using?
5: Do you use anti-bacteria products in the toilet? If yes, what do you use?
6: Do you think the toilet bowl or the sink is cleaner?
7: Do you close the toilet bowl lid after using?
8: Do you wash your hand after coming in contact with notes?
9: Do you come in contact with others in the toilet?
10: Do you use tissue paper in the toilet? If yes, Do you use the tissue paper in the toilet or your own? Handkerchief/Your own tissue paper
11: Do you think the automatic tap or the push-button tap is dirtier?
12: Do you prefer using the squat toilet or the seat toilet?
13: Do you clean the toilet seat before using?
14: When there is a puddle of water in the toilet, do you avoid it or just step over it?
15: Do you avoid dirty looking toilets?

The Plate Streaking Procedure can be found here.
It is a very thorough flash animation about plate streaking.

Gram Staining

A. Slant Cultures

1. Prepare and heat-fix smears.
2. Prepare the smears of S. epidermidis and N. sicca on a second slide. Heat-fix.
3. Stain the slides as follows:
a. Flood the crystal violet for one minute.
b. Pour off excess dye and wash gently in tap water and drain the slide against a paper towel.
c. Expose the smears to Gram's iodine for one minute by washing with iodine, then adding more iodine and leaving it on the smear until the minute is over.
d. Wash with tap water and drain carefully. (Do not blot.)
e. Wash with 95% alcohol for 30 seconds.
f. Wash with tap water at the end of the 30 seconds to stop the decolorization. Drain.
g. Counterstain with 0.25% safranin for 30 seconds.
h. Wash, drain, blot, and examine under oil.
i. Draw the cells showing morphology, grouping, and relative sizes. Color a few of the cells of each bacterial species to show the Gram reaction.
j. Save these slides and the ones from parts B & C of this exercise to use at the next lab period.

B. Broth Cultures

1. Because the smear made from the broth will be a thin smear and nearly invisible to the naked eye even after staining, it may be advisable to draw a ring with a felt
open on the under side of the slide to mark the area in which the broth smear will be made. Also, when making a smear from broth do not add a drop of water
to the slide.
2. Hear-fix the smears, Gram stain them with the above procedure, and examine them. When focusing the broth smear use the technique suggested for thin smears.
3. Compare the appearance of the cells in the two smears.