Materials List:
How to Make Yeast Cells Thrive
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/duk_yeast_mary_act
This lesson requires the same materials as were needed for the previous activity, Yeast Cells Respire, Too (But Not Like Me and You):
- large test tubes, about 15 cm long and 20 mm in diameter; one per student
- small test tubes, about 10 cm long and 8 mm in diameter; one per student
- squares cut from plastic wrap, about 8 cm on a side; one per student
- several rubber or cork stoppers, size 2
- test tube racks to hold large test tubes
- several dropping pipettes
- five 300-ml beakers
- 1-liter flask
- 1-liter graduated cylinder
- lab thermometer
- package dry baking yeast (available in grocery stores)
- 12-ounce bottle molasses (unsulphured)
- Depending on what experiments students elect to do, you may need several extra flasks (100-300 ml), graduated cylinders (10 and 100 ml), and test tube racks. You may also need a refrigerator and an incubator or other warm location, such as a sunny window sill.
- If students decide to test the effects of pH, you will need litmus paper, lemon juice or vinegar as a safe means of lowering pH, and sodium carbonate ("washing soda") as a safe means of raising pH. If using any of these chemicals, students will also need eye protection.
- You will probably also need a few more large and small test tubes for controls, and in order to have adequate sample sizes for the student experiments.