The Effect of Temperature and Ethanol on the Regeneration of Planarian
This experiment was to test how the temperature of the environment of the planarian and the percentage concentration of ethanol in the water they are in will affect the regeneration of planarian after the removal of a head or a tail. This can benefit society by showing what conditions can affect the regeneration of planarian and scientists look at planarian regeneration to see if the information from them can be used towards human stem cell research. The experiment was conducted by filling trays with water that had different concentrations of ethanol. The planarian then had either their head or tail removed and were placed on the tray. After a week the planarian were taken out and the amount of growth was measured and then the total growth was found by subtracting the original length from the length after a week. The results of the experiment were that even though none of the effects were mathematically significant, when the planarian whose heads were removed were subjected to the highest ethanol concentration and the highest temperature incubator, the time that it took them to regenerate completely was the slowest. This supported the experimenter’s original hypothesis.
Research Conducted By:
Maria Gallo
Sterling Heights High School
Ann Krause
Sterling Heights High School
Warren Consolidated Schools