Pillbugs Live In Light Lab Report

Analysis: There are several instances where the number of pillbugs in the light are equal to the number of pillbugs in the dark. It’s difficult to decipher a pattern in the data. The pillbugs seem very indecisive and continuously move between chambers. However, if one disregards the data where the number in light and dark are equal, there are three times where the amount in light is higher and only two times where the amount in dark is higher.

Conclusion: In conclusion, there is not enough data to prove whether pillbugs prefer to reside in darkness or in lighted areas. The data collected fails to show a clear pattern and expressed an ambivalence towards the environments provided. As mentioned in the analysis, however, if one overlooks the data where the number in light and …show more content…
Testing animate things always make a margin of error necessary. Not all the pillbugs had the same size, health, age, and gender. For instance, certain pillbugs were of a more dynamic nature, while others merely burrowed themselves into the soil for the entirety of the experiment. Only a perfectly controlled experiment would ensure that these factors were identical in all the specimens. As it is, these factors may skew the data slightly. In addition, the pillbugs were influenced by each other and were prone to crawling on top of each other. They made several attempts to get out of the tray and had to be prodded back in the container. The slight tendency of the pillbugs to migrate to the lighted side may be because they believed that the light indicated an escape route. Lastly, our group had used a concentrated light source for the lighted side, like a flashlight, in the original procedure. It seemed reasonable to balance artificial darkness (the construction paper) with artificial light. Unfortunately, a hand-held light is rather unstable and it is probable that the light from overhead could have filtered into the dark