Sarah+T

For my science fair project I am testing how much bacteria is in an animals’ mouth, and which one has the most. My hypothesis is if a cat, a dog, a guinea pig, and a lizard’s mouth are swabbed, then the animals’ mouth that would grow the most bacteria is the cat’s because it uses its mouth for things the most. Before I get into more about my project, I first had to find some background information on my topic. Bacteria are prokaryotic or simple unicellular organisms that are found everywhere. They can even live near underwater volcanoes and in other extreme environments and conditions. Probiotic bacteria are helpful bacteria. They are useful for dropping the levels of ammonia and even lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, along in helping with many other things. Then, there are pathogenic bacteria which can cause diseases. Humans and animals can contract these diseases through contaminated water or food, animals or people who are sick or after surgery when their immune systems are weak. People care about bacteria because humans and animals can die from the diseases that they cause and spread. By preventing distinct enzymes from working, people can learn to kill the pathogenic bacteria. Once I found all the background information, I researched and used from past experience what lab equipment and materials that I will need for my science fair project. I need sterile petri dishes and an agar medium with nutrients so I can grow my bacteria on it. Also, paraffin wax paper to seal the petri dishes, so no outside forces effect the bacteria’s growth. Sterile swabs to get samples from the different animals, and plastic gloves when doing so and handling the petri dishes. I need a dog, a cat, a lizard, and a guinea pig to get the samples from, and an incubator to place the petri dishes in. A square centimeter graph paper transparency to find how much bacteria growth there are during the trials, and transparency markers will help in finding this also. A digital camera will be used to take pictures of the different trials, and a sharpie marker to write the labels on the petri dishes. Lastly, I found information on how I should go about doing this project. I will first make an agar medium with nutrients and pour a small amount that covers the whole bottom surface of the sterile petri dish. I will store the petri dishes upside down (prevents condensation from falling and causing disruption to the bacteria’s surface for growth) in a refrigerator until the agar is hardened and I’m ready to use them. Then, I will put on plastic gloves and use a sterile cotton swab to get samples from the cat’s mouth. I will then rub the swab gently over the agar that has become room temperature (or sat out for around an hour) in a zigzag formation. Then I will label the petri dish so I know what animal’s mouth the bacteria came from. I will then repeat these three steps for the dog, guinea pig, and lizard. Then, I will put the petri dishes into an incubator until I need to record the bacteria’s growth. I will record the bacteria’s growth on day 3, day 5, and the end of the trial, day 7. Then, I will use the squared centimeter graph paper transparency to find how many squared centimeters of bacteria cover the petri dish, so I can find which animal has the most bacteria in their mouth. I will dispose the cultured materials by autoclaving them at 121 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Things that I should remember are to wash my hands before and after handling my project, and to not eat or drink anything while I’m around my cultures, so I do not become sick. Also, I should not open up the petri dish so I do not affect the growth of the bacteria, and so I don’t let undesired bacteria into the air. Finally, I will have to make sure I do not breathe or ingest any of the growing bacteria in the petri dishes. To test for the animal that has the most bacteria in their mouth is somewhat complicated, and takes a good amount of time, but the results are worth it, and I think I will find much enjoyment in doing this interesting science fair project. Works Cited “Bacteria Experiments”. __Home Science Tools__. Internet. 5 October 2009. []. “Bacteria Growing Experiments in Petri Plates”. __Science Company__. Internet. 5 October 2009. []. “Bacteria”. __Safe Drinking Water Foundation__. Internet. 5 October 2009. [|http://www.safewater.org]. Colorado State University. “Infections, Bacteria ‘Critical For Healthy Life’. __ScienceDaily__. 7 November 2007. Internet. 4 October 2009. Ghare, Madhavi. “Beneficial Bacteria”. __Buzzle__. 22 January 2008. Internet. 5 October 2009. []. “Growing Bacteria”. __Science Enterprises__. 2008. Internet. 5 October 2009. []. Marquis, Robert E. “ Bacteria”. __MSN Encarta__. 1997-2009. Internet. 4 October 2009. []. []. Wassenaar, T. M. “What are bacteria”. __The Virtual Museum of Bacteria __. 2 March 2009. Internet. 4 October 2009. []. “Whose Mouth is Cleaner – A Dog’s or a Human’s?”. Internet. 5 October 2009. []. “Why Bacteria are Better than People”. Internet. 4 October 2009. [].
 * **Science Fair Project **

Materials: Precise dry dog food, Purina dry cat food, fresh water, guinea pig food, romaine lettuce leaves, crickets, reptocal, fine calcium sand, scooper, wood chips, nutrient agar, petri dishes, incubator, parrafin wax paper, square centimeter graph paper transparency, sharpie marker, digital camera, memory card, sterile cotton swabs, dog, cat, guinea pig, bearded dragon, guinea pig vitamin, IV fluid for cat, pills for cat, plastic gloves, and clorox bleach. Procedure: One week before the swabbing have the dog eat one cup of precise in the morning, and one cup of precise at night each day. Fresh water will be available and able to be accessed all day, each day. The water will be changed every day. Also, start the cat on 1/2 cup of Purina dry cat food in the morning, and that will last the whole day. Fresh water will be available and able to be accessed all day, each day. The water will be changed every day of the week. Start the guinea pig on 1/2 a cup of guinea pig food every day. Fresh water will be available and able to be accessed every day, each day. The water will be changed every day of the week. The bearded dragon will be in a cage with another bearded dragon and they will be given 20 crickets in the morning, 20 crickets in the afternoon, and 20 crickets that are coated with reptocal (vitamins and calcium) at night. They will be given 2 romaine lettuce leaves at noon. No water is given because all the water they need come from the lettuce and crickets that they eat. The lizards live in a 30in. X 12in. X 13in. aquarium. The cage's bedding is fine calcium sand, and the cage is cleaned two to three times a day with scooper. There is a light and a heat light all the time except for at night. the one side of the cage has a UVB light which supplies vitamins to the lizards. Day Before Swabbing and Growing of Bacteria: 1. Make nutrient agar. 2. Pour nutrient agar into the 40 petri dishes Day1: 1. Get 10 petri dishes that already have nutrient agar in them. 2. Take them home. 3. Swab the dog's mouth with a sterile cotton swab, but not right after it eats. 4. Seep the petri dish with the swab in a zigzag formation all over it. 5. Label it D1; D standing for Dog and 1 standing for the first trial. 6. Repeat steps 3-5 seven more times labeling the bottoms of the petri dishes D2, D3 D4, etc., for each trial. 7. Do steps 1-6 for the cat, but label the petri dishes C1, C2, etc. 8. Do steps 1-6 for the guinea pig, but label the petri dishes GP1, GP2, etc. 9. Go to the Poff's house and do steps 1-6 for the bearded dragon, but label the dishes L1, L2, etc. Day 2: 1. Bring the petri dishes to school as soon as possible, and seal them with parafin wax. 2. Place the petri dishes upside down in the incubator. 3. Make the transparency of square centimeter graph paper. Day 4: 1. Take the petri dishes out of the incubator. 2. Take pictures of all the trials. 3. Measure how much bacteria that grew using the graph paper transparency. 4. Record the number of square centimeter boxes that were filled in the data table. 5. Record what you see with the naked eye. 6. The petri dishes to the incubator and place them upside down. Day 6: 1. Repeat the same process as Day 4. Day 9: 1. Repeat the same process as Day 4, but do not put petri dishes back into the incubator. Day 10: 1. Dispose of the cultured material and other potentially hazardous biological agents by pouring bleach onto the petri dishes before disposing. Day 11: 1. Start creating a bar graph from the information that was put in the data table.

Setting up food for dog to start the experiment soon. Got the O.K to do the experiment. Have to change the experiment's procedure since a month is too long to begin and finish it because of the Thanksgiving Break right in the middle of it. Started the experiment. Going to talk to the science teacher about getting the petri dishes ready. Changed the procedures, so I can do all the animal's at once. changed the cat's food from wet food to dry food. Talked to Mr. Granger about getting 40 petri dishes. There aren't enough. Also, asked about nutrient agar, but there probably isn't enough he said. Decided to buy our own petri dishes and nutrient agar to make the process go quicker. Bought 40 disposable plastic petri dishes and 4 bottles of nutrient agar from Home Science Tools. Started feeding procedure for all the animals today. They are all eating and drinking enough. Gave them fresh water and the amount of food they need. All the animals are eating fine. The Poff's said the lizards are eating well and getting all the food they need. Gave them fresh water and the amount of food they need. Gave the animals fresh water and the amount of food they need. They ate everything and are doing well. Nothing is going wrong. Got the 40 petri dishes and the 4 bottles of agar today. Gave the animals fresh water and amount of food they need. They ate everything and are doing well. Everything is going smoothly. Took pictures of all the animals accept the lizard; just themselves and eating. Took pictures of the agar and petri dishes. Talked to the Poff's and are going to their house on Sunday to get the samples from the lizard. Making the agar Saturday to put into the petri dishes. Taking the animals samples on Sunday, so I can take them right to school on Monday and start to take data. I gave the animals fresh water and amount of food they need. They ate everything and are drinking fine. There are no problems so far. Gave the animals fresh water and all the food they need. They are eating well, and doing fine. The lizard is doing fine I found out from the Poff's. Gave the animals fresh water and food. Made the agar for the petri dishes. The only problems were that some bubbles formed in the petri dishes and when the agar was microwaved it bubbled over the petri dishes and there weren't enough petri dishes to fill it up again, so I am only doing 8 trials for the animals. Changed the procedure from ten trials to eight for each animal. Gave the animal's fresh water and food. Waited until the end of the day to get samples from the animals since I have to seal the petri dishes tomorrow morning. I swabbed the animal's mouth using a sterile cotton swab and rubbing the sides of their cheeks. I had plastic gloves on. I did not harm the animals in any way and tried to provide as much comfort when swabbing their mouths. Once I swabbed the animals' mouths I quickly covered the whole petri dish in their saliva using the cotton swab. I then closed the petri dish with the top lid. There were no problems in the swabbing process. The animals were very easy to get the samples from. I will continue feeding animals but in a more relaxed way like they normally have their whole lives. Took pictures of me swabbing the bacteria onto the agar, and microwaving the agar in the petri dish. I immediately went to school as early as I could to put the parrafin wax on the sides of the petri dishes to seal them. I then put them into the incubator. They were placed upside down so condensation would not form on the ager and mess up results. They were stacked 2-3 on top of each other because of space issues. Letting the bacteria grow in the petri dishes today. I will get results tomorrow. Went to the library to get a transparency copy of squared centimeter graph paper to use to find the amount of bacteria growth. I took the petri dishes out of the incubator. I used the transparent graph paper to find the amount of bacteria growth. D1: There are a few big and medium blotches with small spots here and there. The spots are very spaced apart. D2: There are medium and small dots that are very spaced apart. Not much is covered. D3: A big blotch of bacteria growth with medium spots cover the petri dish. There are also small speck clusters and everything is spaced apart. D4: There are a lot of small specks with a few medium spots. They are spread over all of the petri dish, but there are spaces between the growths. D5: The dish is covered with medium spots. Some are in clusters, and some are spaces apart. D6: There are small specks spread around the petri dish along with medium splotches. The bacteria is spaced apart. D7: Small and medium blotches spread across the petri dish with many spaces between them. D8: There are two big clusters along with several smaller ones. The rest is covered with medium spots, and big spaces are between the bacteria C1: There is nothing growing on the petri dish. There were bubbles that formed when putting the agar in the petri dish which are the saucers in the petri dish. C2: The dish is covered with small and a few medium spots but there are many empty spaces. C3: There is nothing growing on the petri dish. C4: There are four medium spots accompanied with a few amount of small specks. There is hardly any bacteria growth on the dish. C5: The dish has small and medium specks, but it doesn't cover much. Some of the specks are very yellow. C6: There is a large white splotch with a few medium and small specks. There is a lot of space not covered on the dish. C7: There is a small cluster of bacteria, some is very yellow. The rest are medium and small specks. C8: There is small and a few medium specks. There's hardly any bacteria growth in the dish. GP1: Mostly covered by small spots of bacteria that have small spaces between them. A few spots aren't covered, and the rim is very yellow in some areas. GP2: Mostly covered with small spots of bacteria that have small spaces between them. Some parts around the rim don't have any bacteria growth. GP3: A lot of the petri dish is covered by small dots.There are two big blotches of bacteria growth. GP4: Bacteria covers most of the dish and there is even more growth around the rims of it. GP5: Covers a lot of the petri dish, some small spaces between the spots, but a lot of growth around the rims and middle. GP6: It has some small and medium spots spaced out on the petri dishes, but it doesn't cover the whole petri dish like the others. GP7: There are big blotches of bacteria growth and big dots that cover the petri dish. Some small spots. GP8: There are smaller dots with spaces between the others, but it still covers a lot of the petri dish. L1: The dish is covered with mmedium spots and several large splotches spread across the dish. L2: The bacteria covers almost the whole dish except for a very small portion. There is a large white spot. L3: The bacteria covers almost the whole dish except for a very small portion. The one side rim is very yellow with black specks. There is several large spots, and there is a white splotches that are connected to each other going from one side of the dish to the other. It has a wave or liquid look. L4: Not much of the dish is covered except for five large blotches and a few specks. L5: The dish is covered with cloud looking large, white splotches. There are big spaces between the splotches. L6: The dish is covered with cloud looking, white splotches that are small and large. There are small spaces between them. There is a very yellow and brown color around the side of the rim. L7: There is large cloud splotches in the dish along with yellow splotch in the middles. There are some large and small spaces. L8: The dish is covered with medium cloud splotches. There is small, yellow specks with medium spaces between some of the bacteria growths. After that I took pictures of each animals' trial and then took a group picture of all the trials of that specific animal. I did this for all the animals. Then I put the petri dishes into the incubator upside down because of condensation. I stacked them up in groups of two or three because there was not enough room. Letting the bacteria grow more before I get their results again. I took the petri dishes out of the incubator. I used the transparent graph paper to find the amount of bacteria growth. After taking data, I wrote down the physical appearances of the bacteria in the petri dish. D1: There are a few big and medium blotches with small spots here and there. The spots have some gaps between each other. Some are very yellow spots. D2: There are medium and small dots that are very spaced apart. Not a lot is covered. Some spots are very yellow. D3: Medium and small spots cover the petri dish. There is a large yellow spot on the side. D4: There are a lot of small specks with a few medium spots. They are spread over all of the petri dish, but there are some spaces between the growths. Some of the bacteria are clusters. D5: The dish is covered with medium spots. Some are in clusters, and some are spaces apart. Some yellow spots. D6: There are small specks spread around the petri dish along with medium splotches. The bacteria is spaced apart. Some yellow spots. D7: Small and medium blotches spread across the petri dish with some spaces between them. Some bacteria form clusters, and some spots are yellow. D8: There are two big clusters along with several smaller ones. The rest is covered with medium spots, and big spaces are between the bacteria. There some yellow spots, and on the one side of the rim it's brown. C1: There is nothing growing on the petri dish. There were bubbles that formed when putting the agar in the petri dish which caused for the saucers in the petri dish. C2: The dish is covered with small and medium spots that are spread out but there are empty spaces. C3: There are a few specks of bacteria but it is not enough to be accounted for. C4: There are four medium spots accompanied with a few amount of small specks. There is not that much bacteria growth on the dish. C5: The dish has small and medium specks, but it doesn't cover much. Some of the specks are very yellow. There are clusters of small bacteria. C6: There are two large white splotch with a few medium and small specks. There is a good bit of space not covered on the dish. C7: There is a small cluster of bacteria, some is very yellow. The rest are medium and small specks. C8: There is small and a few medium specks. There's hardly any bacteria growth in the dish. GP1: Mostly covered by small spots of bacteria that have very small spaces between them. A few spots arent covered, and the rim is very yellow in some areas. There are some faint reddish spots of bacteria. GP2: Mostly covered with small spots of bacteria that have small spaces between them. Some parts around the rim don't have any bacteria growth. A few small, red spots of bacteria. GP3: A lot of the petri dish is covered by small and medium dots. Some red spots. GP4: Bacteria covers most of the dish and there is even more growth around the rims of it. Some red spots of bacteria. GP5: Covers a lot of the petri dish, some small spaces between the spots, but a lot of growth around the rims and middle. Very yellow on one side of the rim. Some faint red spots. GP6: It has some small and medium spots spaced out on the petri dishes. More bacteria growth around the rims. GP7: Covered with mostly small dots and some are red. GP8: There are smaller dots with spaces between the others, but it still covers a lot of the petri dish. Some are red. L1: The dish is covered with medium spots and several large splotches spread across the dish. Some of the spots are vey yellow. L2: The bacteria covers almost the whole dish except for a very small portion. There is a large white spot. There are some very yellow spots of bacteria. L3: The bacteria covers almost the whole dish except for a very small portion. The one side rim is very yellow with a black, large spot. There is several large spots, and there is a white splotches that are connected to each other going from one side of the dish to the other. It has a wave or liquid look. There are some very yellow spots. L4: Not much of the dish is covered except for six large blotches and a few specks. There are some very yellow spots. L5: The dish is covered with cloud looking, large, white splotches. There are gaps between the splotches. There are some yellow spots. L6: The dish is covered with cloud looking, white splotches that are small and large. There are small spaces between them. There is a very yellow and brown color around the side of the rim. There some yellow spots of bacteria. L7: There is large cloud splotches in the dish along with yellow splotch in the middle. There are some large and small spaces. L8: The dish is covered with medium cloud splotches and small, yellow specks. There are medium spaces between some of the bacteria growths. There are clusters of bacteria. After that I took pictures of each animals' trial and then took a group picture of all the trials of that specific animal. I did this for all the animals. Then I put the petri dishes into the incubater upside down because of condensation. I stacked them up in groups of two or three because there was not enough room. It is the weekend and my petri dishes are at school so I can't do anything. It is the weekend and my petri dishes are at school so I can't do anything. I took the petri dishes out of the incubator. I used the transparent graph paper to find the amount of bacteria growth. After taking data, I wrote down the physical appearances of the bacteria in the petri dish. D1: There are a few big and medium blotches with small spots here and there. The spots have some gaps between each other. Some are very yellow spots. D2: There are medium and small dots that are very spaced apart. Not a lot is covered. Some spots are very yellow. D3: Medium and small spots cover the petri dish. There is a large yellow spot on the side, and some others. D4: There are a lot of small specks with a few medium spots. They are spread over all of the petri dish, but there are some spaces between the growths. Some of the bacteria are clusters. D5: The dish is covered with medium spots. Some are in clusters, and some are spaces apart. Some yellow spots. The one side of the rim is very yellow. D6: There are small specks spread around the petri dish along with medium splotches. Some yellow spots. D7: Small and medium blotches spread across the petri dish with some spaces between them. Some bacteria form clusters, and some spots are yellow. D8: There are three big clusters along with several smaller ones. The rest is covered with medium spots, and big spaces are between the bacteria. There some yellow spots, and on the one side of the rim it's brown. C1: There is nothing growing on the petri dish. There were bubbles that formed when putting the agar in the petri dish which caused for the saucers in the petri dish. C2: The dish is covered with small and medium spots that are spread out but there are some empty spaces. There some yellow specks. C3: There are a few specks of bacteria, but nothing much is really growing. C4: There are four medium spots accompanied with a few amount of small specks. There is not that much bacteria growth on the dish. There are some yellow specks. C5: The dish has small and medium specks, but it doesn't cover much. Some of the specks are very yellow. There are clusters of small bacteria. C6: There are two large white splotch with a few medium and small specks. There is a good bit of space not covered on the dish. There are clusters of bacteria. C7: There is a small cluster of bacteria, some is very yellow. The rest are medium and small specks. C8: There is small and a few medium specks. There's hardly any bacteria growth in the dish. There are some small clusters that formed. GP1: Mostly covered by small spots of bacteria that have very small spaces between them. A few spots aren't covered, and the rim is very yellow in some areas. There are some faint reddish spots of bacteria. GP2: Mostly covered with small spots of bacteria that have small spaces between them. Some parts around the rim don't have any bacteria growth. There are red spots of bacteria. GP3: A lot of the petri dish is covered by small and medium dots. Some red spots, and a lot of yellow spots GP4: Bacteria covers most of the dish and there is even more growth around the rims of it. Some red spots of bacteria, and a lot of yellow spots. GP5: Covers a lot of the petri dish, some small spaces between the spots, but a lot of growth around the rims and middle. Very yellow on one side of the rim. Some faint red spots. GP6: It has some small and medium spots spaced out on the petri dishes. More bacteria growth around the rims. Some red and yellow spots. GP7: Covered with mostly small dots and some brown, and some are almost clear. There are some clusters of bacteria that formed. GP8: There are smaller dots with spaces between the others, but it still covers a lot of the petri dish. There are some faint red and yellow spots. L1: The dish is covered with medium spots and several large splotches spread across the dish. Some of the spots are very yellow. There are some clusters of bacteria. L2: The bacteria covers almost the whole dish except for a very small portion. There is a large white spot. There are some very yellow spots of bacteria. L3: The bacteria covers almost the whole dish except for a very small portion. The one side rim is very reddish brown. There is several large spots, and there is a white splotches that are connected to each other going from one side of the dish to the other. It has a wave or liquid look. There are some very yellow spots. L4: Not much of the dish is covered except for six large blotches and a few specks. There are some very yellow spots. L5: The dish is covered with cloud looking, large, white splotches. There are gaps between the splotches. There are some yellow spots. L6: The dish is covered with cloud looking, white splotches that are small and large. There are small spaces between them. There is a very yellow and brown color around the side of the rim. There some yellow spots of bacteria. L7: There is large cloud splotches in the dish along with yellow splotch in the middle. There are some large and small spaces. L8: The dish is covered with medium cloud splotches and yellow spots. There are medium spaces between some of the bacteria growths. There are clusters of bacteria. After that I took pictures of each animals' trial and then took a group picture of all the trials of that specific animal. I did this for all the animals. I did not put the petri dishes back into the incubator but on a shelf away from everything since I do not need to grow bacteria anymore.
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Made a table to hold my data that I collected during this experiment. I am also starting to write the abstract, problem, hypothesis, experimentation, experimental results, discussion, conclusion, applications, and the captions describing the pictures that I took. Took the petri dishes home. While using gloves and making sure my face wasn't near the petri dish, I unsealed the petri dishes and poured bleach into the dishes, like the back of the agar bottle told me to. I closed the dishes back up with the bleach inside and disposed of them. I safely took off my gloves and washed the surface where the petri dishes touched it with bacteria killing wipes. I also wiped the bleach bottle. Added bleach to my materials. The guinea pig died today, but it died of natural causes since it was old. began making bar graphs and data tables. Fixing my procedure, fixing typing errors, and adding and deleting materials. Deleted transparency markers from materials. Changed Day 10 in the procedure.
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