Introduction:
Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. Humans thrive off of caffeine and its effects by drinking coffees, teas, and sodas. Used for its addictive stimulating nature, caffeine is said to alleviate the morning grogginess, increase alertness, and also improve memory and focus. This stimulant is one that some humans truly can’t live without, but why is that?
Adenosine, a depressant hormone responsible for sleep regulation and decreased nerve activity, is constantly secreted into the bloodstream throughout the day. When caffeine is taken into the body, it binds to the receptors anticipating the adenosine hormone. This is because of the similarity in both size and shape of caffeine and adenosine. The binding of the caffeine …show more content…
Though caffeine acts as a toxin for the slug, we believe that, if a paper towel is soaked in a low enough caffeine solution, the caffeine will either act as a deterrent, increasing the average speed of the slugs in order to flee from the uncomfortable environment, or as a stimulant, increasing the average speed of the slugs because of the biological receptor-binding response. Our independent variable in this experiment is the preparation of the damp paper towel, either containing a low caffeine concentration or no exposure to caffeine at all. The dependent variable is the effect the caffeine will have on slug speed. We hypothesize that the addition of caffeine to the paper towel will increase the overall speed of the slugs, due to the nature of this …show more content…
For the experimental set-up, two separate poster boards covered in damp paper towels were used. The damp paper towels prevented the slugs from drowning or becoming too dry over the course of the experiment, while the poster board provided a hard, flat surface to more accurately measure the distance the slugs traveled. For the control group setup, the paper towels were submerged in regular sink water and then wrung out for optimal towel moisture. For the experimental group setup, the paper towels were submerged in a 0.01% caffeine solution and then wrung out. To create the appropriate caffeine concentration, 0.25 mL of caffeine were added to 250 mL of DI water. Additionally, a single lettuce punch was placed in each corner of the board to attract the slugs and promote
Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. Humans thrive off of caffeine and its effects by drinking coffees, teas, and sodas. Used for its addictive stimulating nature, caffeine is said to alleviate the morning grogginess, increase alertness, and also improve memory and focus. This stimulant is one that some humans truly can’t live without, but why is that?
Adenosine, a depressant hormone responsible for sleep regulation and decreased nerve activity, is constantly secreted into the bloodstream throughout the day. When caffeine is taken into the body, it binds to the receptors anticipating the adenosine hormone. This is because of the similarity in both size and shape of caffeine and adenosine. The binding of the caffeine …show more content…
Though caffeine acts as a toxin for the slug, we believe that, if a paper towel is soaked in a low enough caffeine solution, the caffeine will either act as a deterrent, increasing the average speed of the slugs in order to flee from the uncomfortable environment, or as a stimulant, increasing the average speed of the slugs because of the biological receptor-binding response. Our independent variable in this experiment is the preparation of the damp paper towel, either containing a low caffeine concentration or no exposure to caffeine at all. The dependent variable is the effect the caffeine will have on slug speed. We hypothesize that the addition of caffeine to the paper towel will increase the overall speed of the slugs, due to the nature of this …show more content…
For the experimental set-up, two separate poster boards covered in damp paper towels were used. The damp paper towels prevented the slugs from drowning or becoming too dry over the course of the experiment, while the poster board provided a hard, flat surface to more accurately measure the distance the slugs traveled. For the control group setup, the paper towels were submerged in regular sink water and then wrung out for optimal towel moisture. For the experimental group setup, the paper towels were submerged in a 0.01% caffeine solution and then wrung out. To create the appropriate caffeine concentration, 0.25 mL of caffeine were added to 250 mL of DI water. Additionally, a single lettuce punch was placed in each corner of the board to attract the slugs and promote