Biology Sensitivity Lab Report
Aim:
To investigate the effect of skin sensitivity in response to cold temperature in different parts of the body by timing the maximum amount of time in which ice-pack can be held to that area.
Hypothesis:
If the layer of skin is relatively thin, the nerve response to cold will be the fastest, increasing the skin’s sensitivity. This therefore means that the fastest responses to cold will be in the face, and specifically the nose. The skin consists of 3 main layers; the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis (also known as the subcutaneous). The epidermis consists of dead and nearly dead skin cells which protects us from injury, infections, fluid loss... acting as a barrier. The Dermis is the skin layer which contains most of the nerve cells, hair follicles, sweat glands and many others. The Hypodermis layer is not really a skin layer, it attaches the skin to everything else; it contains the fat layer.
The layer of fat in the nose’s hypodermis is very thin in relation to other parts of the body which will make the nerves detect the change in temperature on the surface the fastest, therefore bringing upon the response in less time.
Variables:
Independent variable: * The part of the body (area of skin).
Dependant variable: * The maximum amount of time the ice-pack can be held to the skin (Using a stopwatch).
Controlled variables: * The same height group (155-160cm) * The same weight group (45-50kg) * The same age group (15-20) * The same sex (female) * The same temperature of the ice-pack (placed in the freezer for 5 hours) * The same surrounding temperature (20-25oC) * The same body temperature (37oC) * The same material used in the icepack ( plastic and gel) * The same size and thickness of the icepack (medium sized)
Fair test:
This experiment is considered to be a fair test because I think that most of the variables that can manipulate the results in any way other than the variable which I want to manipulate
To investigate the effect of skin sensitivity in response to cold temperature in different parts of the body by timing the maximum amount of time in which ice-pack can be held to that area.
Hypothesis:
If the layer of skin is relatively thin, the nerve response to cold will be the fastest, increasing the skin’s sensitivity. This therefore means that the fastest responses to cold will be in the face, and specifically the nose. The skin consists of 3 main layers; the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis (also known as the subcutaneous). The epidermis consists of dead and nearly dead skin cells which protects us from injury, infections, fluid loss... acting as a barrier. The Dermis is the skin layer which contains most of the nerve cells, hair follicles, sweat glands and many others. The Hypodermis layer is not really a skin layer, it attaches the skin to everything else; it contains the fat layer.
The layer of fat in the nose’s hypodermis is very thin in relation to other parts of the body which will make the nerves detect the change in temperature on the surface the fastest, therefore bringing upon the response in less time.
Variables:
Independent variable: * The part of the body (area of skin).
Dependant variable: * The maximum amount of time the ice-pack can be held to the skin (Using a stopwatch).
Controlled variables: * The same height group (155-160cm) * The same weight group (45-50kg) * The same age group (15-20) * The same sex (female) * The same temperature of the ice-pack (placed in the freezer for 5 hours) * The same surrounding temperature (20-25oC) * The same body temperature (37oC) * The same material used in the icepack ( plastic and gel) * The same size and thickness of the icepack (medium sized)
Fair test:
This experiment is considered to be a fair test because I think that most of the variables that can manipulate the results in any way other than the variable which I want to manipulate