NSWTR 2024 HR - Flipbook - Page 48
YEAR 7-8 SECTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF WHALE SNOT - FOR STUDENTS
AIM
WHAT TO DO
To examine the health of a whale by testing its snot.
1. Complete the risk assessment with your
teacher before you start the experiment.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
When we want to test for symptoms of illness, a doctor
can send our body 昀氀uids – such as blood or urine – to
the clinical testing laboratory for analysis. A vet can
do the same for our pets. Whales are not only hard to
collect the usual blood and urine samples from because
of their size and location, but can also be dangerous
to be around when conducting invasive health tests.
Dr Vanessa Pirotta’s method for collecting whale snot
makes it easier and safer to access than any other body
昀氀uid. In this activity, you will chemically test simulated
whale snot.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
A few mL of whale snot
Plastic pipette
Petri dishes
Small beaker
Material for each test – see Data Table 1
Safety goggles
2. Put on a pair of safety goggles to protect
your eyes from splashes.
3. Protect / cover any open cuts with medical
tape.
4. Collect a 4 mL sample of whale snot from
your teacher and place in a small clean
beaker.
5. Pipette out about 0.5 mL of whale snot from
the beaker into each of 4 petri dishes and
label them 1, 2, 3 and 4.
6. Use the instructions in the data table to
carry out each test in the data table below
and then record your results in the space
provided.
7. Return all equipment and chemicals to your
teacher. DO NOT pour chemicals down the
sink. Wipe down your bench and return the
safety goggles.
8. Answer the questions on p50.
RISK ASSESSMENT
RISKS OR HAZARDS
HOW YOU WILL AVOID OR REDUCE THE RISK
SHARP BROKEN GLASS
SPILT LIQUIDS
NaOH
CuSO4
UNIVERSAL INDICATOR
SAFETY FIRST – STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND
LAB STAFF MUST WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES WHEN
HANDLING CHEMICALS AND ENSURE STUDENTS DO
AS WELL. CHEMICALS MUST BE HANDLED AND DISPOSED
OF ACCORDING TO THE LABELS ON THE BOTTLES.
SPECIES SURVIVAL – MORE THAN JUST SUSTAINABILITY
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