Temperature experiment: trial 1

Aim

study the effect of change in temperature on the heart rate of snails

Null hypothesis: temperature does not affect heart rate

Materials

• 5 snails
• Snail backpack (heart rate and temperature monitor)
• Arduino UNO + data recording device
• one snail per box
• incubator at 40C
• empty snail box
• ice box

Protocol

• set the incubator at 40C
• close the aperture of the snail shell using tissue and tape
• install snail backpack on 1 snail with superglue
• put the empty snail box in the icebox
• place the snail inside the snailbox and put the apparatus in the incubator
• measure heartrate and temperature of the snail while it is inside the shell
• stop the measurement when the temperature reaches 39-40C

Snail backpack protocol

Heart rate sensor:

• use strong white light to mark the position of the LED and the light sensor
• attach LED lights x3 using superglue
• attach the black frame using superglue
• insert light sensor into the blackframe and test

Temperature sensor:

• glue temperature sensor to the shell

Removal of snail_backpack

• use 50% acetone solution
• submerge the LED light for a minute and carefully detach them from the shell
• repeat same procedure for the temperature sensor and the light sensor