The following materials will be required for this experiment: a sample of at least 30 planarians, ice, a scalpel, spring water, 6 Petri dishes (100 mm diameter), 6 pieces of steel sheet metal, each approx. 100 mm square, and 9 neodymium magnets. Precautions/Safety: Because neodymium magnets can be extremely strong, they snap together rapidly and may break during their usage (K & J Magnetics Inc, 2005). Follow all safety guidelines involving the use of neodymium magnets, including the use of protective eyewear during the manipulation of these magnets. Care must be taken when using sharp objects, such as a scalpel, to bisect the organisms. Also, while bisecting the organisms, an individual must be careful to cut precisely in the center of the organism. The planarians will not be fed during the regeneration period. They are unlikely to feed during this time, so uneaten food will foul the water and the planarians will die. Methods: Using a gauss meter, the intensity of magnetic fields at the surface of one neodymium magnet, two neodymium magnets stuck together, and three neodymium magnets stuck together will be measured and recorded. A group of planarians will be separated into one of six categories with a minimum of five planarians in each category. Categories are as follows: bisected, no magnets; bisected, 1 magnet; bisected, 2 magnets; bisected, 3 magnets; untreated, no magnets; and untreated, 3 magnets. Space the appropriate magnets evenly over a 100 mm circle on the sheet metal squares; all of the magnets should be arranged with the same pole (either N or S) facing up. The sheet metal allows you to place the magnets closer together than you would on a non-magnetic surface, and also increases the magnetic field strength. Label the dishes 1–6 and place them on top of the correct sheet metal square. Begin bisection of at least 20 planarians through the following procedure: place each organism on ice to immobilize and anesthetize the animal, cut it in half with a scalpel (make the cut
The following materials will be required for this experiment: a sample of at least 30 planarians, ice, a scalpel, spring water, 6 Petri dishes (100 mm diameter), 6 pieces of steel sheet metal, each approx. 100 mm square, and 9 neodymium magnets. Precautions/Safety: Because neodymium magnets can be extremely strong, they snap together rapidly and may break during their usage (K & J Magnetics Inc, 2005). Follow all safety guidelines involving the use of neodymium magnets, including the use of protective eyewear during the manipulation of these magnets. Care must be taken when using sharp objects, such as a scalpel, to bisect the organisms. Also, while bisecting the organisms, an individual must be careful to cut precisely in the center of the organism. The planarians will not be fed during the regeneration period. They are unlikely to feed during this time, so uneaten food will foul the water and the planarians will die. Methods: Using a gauss meter, the intensity of magnetic fields at the surface of one neodymium magnet, two neodymium magnets stuck together, and three neodymium magnets stuck together will be measured and recorded. A group of planarians will be separated into one of six categories with a minimum of five planarians in each category. Categories are as follows: bisected, no magnets; bisected, 1 magnet; bisected, 2 magnets; bisected, 3 magnets; untreated, no magnets; and untreated, 3 magnets. Space the appropriate magnets evenly over a 100 mm circle on the sheet metal squares; all of the magnets should be arranged with the same pole (either N or S) facing up. The sheet metal allows you to place the magnets closer together than you would on a non-magnetic surface, and also increases the magnetic field strength. Label the dishes 1–6 and place them on top of the correct sheet metal square. Begin bisection of at least 20 planarians through the following procedure: place each organism on ice to immobilize and anesthetize the animal, cut it in half with a scalpel (make the cut
science_fair_project_guide_with_example_.docx