Yeast Lab Report

Vighnesh Hemnani
MYP 1A
Last Edited: 11th of February 2012
Due: 14th of February 2012 (1st Draft)
Partner Karna Phandripande

Our Aim
Our Aim is to investigate on what factors affect the growth of yeast and how.

Our Research Question

Our Research Question is Does the temperature affect the growth of the yeast?.

Background information
The Yeast is made up of a single celled organism. Yeast thrives on starch, which it
converts to alcohol and Carbon Dioxide. The CO2 expands the baked goods to
produce the light, fluffy texture. Yeast also is a vital or an important part of
making alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine.
The ideal temperature for the Yeast to grow in is 100 115 degree Fahrenheit.
Yeast begins to die at 120 degree Fahrenheit.

Hypothesis
My hypothesis is that the yeast grow when combined with sugar with little
temperature of water will produce the chemical reaction where in the yeast will
react with sugar and produce CO2. Also the CO2 will be produce which will blow
the balloon.

Variables
Independent Variable Temperature of the water
Dependent Variable The Yeast production
Constant Variable The Sugar

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Materials

1. Yeast 1.5 grams

2. Sugar 0.5 grams
3. Water 100 ml
4. Weighing scale 1 piece
5. Flask 1 piece
6. Balloon 1 piece
7. Thermometer 1 piece
8. Stopwatch 1 piece
9. Beaker 1 piece
10. Ice few cubes of ice.
11. Hammer 1 piece
12. String 20 cm long piece.
13. A recording sheets/book with pen/pencil 1 piece

Procedure
Step 1. Get the 100 ml of water in a beaker.
Step 2. Put 1.5 grams of Yeast in the flask.
Step 3. Add 0.5 grams of Sugar in the flask.
Step 4. Get the ice and crush it into smaller pieces using the hammer and put the
ice pieces into the water.
Step 5. Use the Thermometer to measure the temperature and adjust the
temperature at 10C.
Step 6. Weigh the balloon and record the weight of the balloon before the
experiment begins.
Step 7. Add the water into the flask and then cover the mouth of the flask with
the balloon and immediately start the stopwatch.
Step 8. Wait until 2:00 minutes and then tie the bottom of the balloon hard (so
that the CO2 does not release) and remove the balloon from the mouth of the
flask.
Step 9. Weigh the balloon after the experiment and record the difference from
the weight of the balloon before the experiment.
Step 10. Repeat Step 1 9 with the water temperature to be 20C.

Safety Measures
1. Wear the Water proof apron
2. Do not fool with experiment and do not be playful at this kind of time.
3. Dispose the used water mixed with sugar and yeast in a chemical dump.

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Data
Data Table

Temperature (Celsius) Weight of Balloon Weight of Balloon

before experiment after experiment
Experiment 1 10 1.67 grams 1.70 grams
Experiment 2 20 1.68 grams 8.15 grams
(error)

Conclusions and Observations

In the first experiment the chemical reaction took place but it was very less and
that is why the CO2 was not much produced. In the second experiment an error
occurred and that error was a equipment error, and we couldnt fix that error
because the other weighing scales showed the same results which were close to
the figure of 8.15 grams. But if the error didnt occur then the weight of the
Balloon after the second experiment would have been around 1.73 grams.

Evaluation
Evaluation

In this experiments the CO2 was not released because the temperature was low
and the yeast couldnt make a chemical reaction with the sugar and the water so
the temperature affects the growth of the yeast.

Errors

There was a equipment error while weighing the balloon after the experiment
and the reading came out as 8.15 grams in the second experiment and the
reading wasnt reliable compared to the first experiment. We have also weighed
the balloon on different weighing scales but all readings were about the same
weight as 8.15 grams. We also asked Ms. Maya that to help us rectify the error
but Ms. Maya also found the weight to be 8.15 grams on both weighing scales.

Reflection
Reflection

The linking with the fact that yeast is used in the breads such a amazing fact I
understood by doing this experiment. So what we are learning in this section of
cells has so much connection with real world makes me feel so interested to

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learn more about science! Also when we do such experiments we can see some
real product like yeast and this makes us more aware of the outside world.

Grades for my partner

Partner:
My partner is Karna Phandripande in MYP 1A.

Grade:

I would give Karn a grade 4 out of 6.

Reason:

I gave Karn a 4 out of 6 because he was very friendly and we worked as a team
although there were some misunderstanding or difference of opinion. He also
did well by planning and we raised our quantity of discussion so that we
wouldnt have lots of problems. I think that we worked as a good team.

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