Brine Shrimp Egg Hatching Experiment

In the experiments below approximately100 brine shrimp eggs were placed in each test tube. After 48 hours, the number of living brine shrimp in each test tube were counted and recorded.

Experiment 1

Contents of test tube / 5 ml of new tap water with 5 % salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 5 % salt / 5 ml of pond water with 5 % salt
# of live brine shrimp in test tube / 0 / 37 / 38

Experiment 2

Contents of test tube / 5 ml of distilled water with 0 % salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 5 % salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 10 % salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 15 % salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 20 % salt
# of live brine shrimp in test tube / 2 / 41 / 40 / 17 / 3

Experiment 3

Contents of test tube / 5 ml of distilled water with 5 % regular salt (NaCl) / 5 ml of distilled water with 5 % sea salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 5 % iodized salt
# of live brine shrimp in test tube / 38 / 39 / 37

Experiment 4

Contents of test tube / 1 ml of distilled water with 5 % salt / 5 ml of distilled water with 5 % salt / 15 ml of distilled water with 5 % salt / 30 ml of distilled water with 5 % salt
# of live brine shrimp in test tube / 0—water all evaporated / 35 / 37 / 36

Name ______Data Analysis for Brine Shrimp Experiment

1.  What is the question that is being tested in experiment # 1?

2.  What is the question that is being tested in experiment # 2?

3.  What is the question that is being tested in experiment # 3?

4.  What is the question that is being tested in experiment # 4?

5.  Did more brine shrimp eggs hatch in distilled water or new tap water?

6.  Does experiment # 1 prove that brine shrimp hatch better in pond water compared to distilled water? Explain!

7.  Do brine shrimp hatch better in a 10 % salt solution or a 20 % salt solution?

8.  Do brine shrimp hatch better in a 5 % salt solution compared to a 10 % salt solution? Explain!

9.  How many different types of salts were tested?

10.  Did the type of salt used make a difference?

11.  Did the volume (amount) of water in the test tube make a difference? Explain your answer.

12.  If a student places 100 brine shrimp eggs in 10 ml of 15 % salt solution made with new tap water, how many eggs are likely to hatch?

a. 0 b. 8 c. 16 d. 40

13.  If 100 brine shrimp eggs are placed in a test tube containing 30 ml of distilled water with 10 % iodized salt, how many eggs are likely to hatch?

a. 0 b. 15 c. 35 d. 55

14. None of the tests had a hatch rate better than 50 %. What is one possible explanation for this observation?