Experimenting with environmental factors needed to grow algae

Students will study conditions favorable to growing Chlamydomonas, a genus of algae cultured at the Pringle Lab at Stanford University, to determine influential factors related to growth, life cycle, and reproductive rates. Students, working in groups of four, will test different variables related to the nature of these conditions. One might test light, another temperature, another water flow, and the last might add trace elements to his/her culture. The experiment design will be determined by the individual student, input from his/her group, and guidance from the teacher. Each week, students will look at the color of the cultures for qualitative data. After three weeks, students will extract samples and use a mass spectrophotometer for final measurements. They will share their data with the class. The class will use this information to vote on the design of a class experiment that incorporates what was learned from the combined data.