Homeostasis Lab

Abstract:
How does the body maintain homeostasis by keeping pH levels in the blood in an
healthy range even when outside variables are affecting it? The pH scale goes from 0
highly acidic to 14 highly akalinic. pH levels in the blood stay within the 7.35 - 7.45 on
the pH scale thanks to the use of many systems including a chemical buffer, respiratory
and excretory system. To test the pH levels, different foods either highly acidic or highly
akalinic were consumed. After immediate consumption each subject test pH levels to
see how much their pH changed. Then in 10 minute intervals the pH was tested until pH
levels turned back to normal. In every subject when the tested food would be eaten the
pH would drop if acidic or increase if akalinic then would return to normal. This lead to
the conclusion that eating acidic foods will lower your pH temporary and eating alkaline
food will raise your pH temporary.

Introduction: background research

Questions and Answers

Q.What is homeostasis?

A.the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements,

especially as maintained by physiological processes.

Q.How does your specific way of homeostasis work?

A.The body uses three thing to keep the ph between 7.35 - 7.45 first a chemical buffer, the
respiratory system, and the urinary system When ph is too high the kidneys try to filter out the
toxins to balance it out. Also you can urinate out the waste or you can intake extra oxygen to
cancel and balance out your system.

Q.What organs are involved?

A. Lungs, Veins, Kidney

Q.What hormones are involved?

A. Parathyroid hormone/parathormone Aldosterone puts it down

Q.What reaction does your body do?

A.Chemical buffer, respirating, peeing

scientific method steps/research:

a. What are the steps of each?

Step 1. Ask a question.
Step 2. Conduct background research
Step 3. Construct a hypothesis
 Step 4. Test with an experiment
Step 5. Does the procedure work? If yes, continue. If no, troubleshoot the procedure and
try step 4 again.
Step 6. Analyze data and draw conclusions. If the data proves your hypothesis,
continue. If not, reconstruct a new hypothesis in step 3.
Step 7. Communicate results.
b. Why we need it?

The scientific method helps to create factual results and repeatable studies.

c. what makes a test valid?

A test can be considered valid when the experiment is repeated by a seperate,

independent lab. The experiment must be repeatable.

Hypothesis​: If you eat certain foods of being alkaline or acidic then it will change your blood ph
in correlation to the amount of acidity and your body will balance out the ph levels

Goal​: to develop a procedure that allowed us to monitor how alkaline and acidic foods affect the
ph level of the person who eats them and how your body reacts to balance out the ph level
using homeostasis. The following final procedure below was ruled out as the most effective way
to gather the information relevant to this goal.

Materials and Methods:

Materials:

● Materials needed
○ Food of varying types, 1 must be acidic (dairy products, refined sugars, meats,
etc) and one must be alkaline (fruits, vegetables, etc)
○ 3 ph tests(3 per person, per trial) We will be using 27, 3 people, 3 tests, 3
trials.spoons
○ Water,

● Procedure draft 1
1. Assign foods to test subjects, one should be alkaline, one should be acidic, and one
should be assigned to drink water.(or neutral)They must take the ph test and
2. While home, a test subject must consume a meal consisting only of their assigned food,
ie, dairy would eat yogurt, cheese, milk, etc
3. After meal, subject must not consume any food or drink other than water until the test.
4. In order to perform a saliva ph test, you must gather spit in a spoon and then dip a part
of a ph test strip into the saliva until the color is readable
5. After the ph test is taken the testee must record the results of the ph test
6. For the next day the subject will follow the same diet then take another test until 3 test
for 3 days have been done.
7. Each subject will record the 3 tests.
 8. The next day the subject will stay on this diet and eat a similar meal then record the data
of the ph test. Do for three days total

● Final Draft Procedure

1. Gather 3 subjects (make sure the subjects haven’t eaten or drank except water for 2
hours before test.)
2. Assign 1 subject with alkaline food (vegetables, fruits, etc)
3. Assign 1 subject with acidic foods (dairy, sugars, processed food, etc)
4. Assign 1 subject as a control only drinking water
5. Have all subjects eat their assigned foods
6. Right after eating take a saliva ph test. Ph test instructions follow. Record Color
6.1. Gather saliva in the mouth and swallow a minimum of two times
6.2. Place saliva into a spoon
6.3. Place a single Ph test strip into spoon
6.4. Wait 15 seconds
6.5. Compare ph test strip color to provided ph chart.
6.6. Record data
7. At 5-10 minute intervals take another saliva test follow steps 6.1-6.6 Record color and
Ph
8. Repeat until sufficient data is gathered

Info Box

https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/eating-alkaline-foods-how-to-test-and-improve-your-ph
-levels/

You can test your pH levels often throughout the day, but ​try to do so at the same time each
morning, as your body will be
more acidic the earlier you
measure​. The goal is to get your
morning ​urine pH​ between 6.5
and 7.5. Levels can vary significantly.
For saliva​, your pH should be similar to your urine. Wait at least two hours after eating to
measure your saliva pH. Fill your mouth with saliva and then swallow it. Repeat this step again
to ensure your spit is clean, and then place some saliva on the pH strip.

Results:

Meal and PH Subject Alkaline Subject Control Subject Acidic

Breakfast Day 1 Half bagel cream Oat Shake 2 Maple Donuts

cheese 7:20/9:35 Cinnamon almond clif
Yerba 9:55 granola
Dried mango

Lunch Day 1 Raspberries Apple Pasta Salad A slice of pepperoni

Craisins 12:35 Sunflower seeds Pizza
Test at 12:42-6.8 larabar Test at 12:45 6.4
Test at 12:52-7.8 Test 7.2 Test at 1:00 6.8
Test at 1:02-7.8

Breakfast Day 2 Bagel cream cheese Cereal

Lunch Day 2 Carrot for lunch High acidic test- Acidic

Test at 12:15-7.2 Kombucha Pretest 12:15 7.6
Broccoli and lettuce Starting point: 6.8 ph Sausage 12:19
Test at 12:28-8.0 Right after:6.2 Post test 12:29 7.8
Test at 12:31-8.0 5 minutes:6.4 Post Test 12:39 6.4
12:38-8.0 10 minutes:6.7 Post test 12:48 6.4
12:50-7.9 15 minutes: 6.8 Post test 13:04 6.4
1:03-7.6 Post Test 13:14 7.0
1:15-7.2

Breakfast 3

Lunch 3 14:00 7.4

Rootbeer
Post test 14:05 6.4
 Scientific Research Article Analysis Activity

Doc 1 Parts: Mamerow

1.​Abstract​- General overview of study
2.​Introduction​-Background info/Research/Reason of Study
3.​Participants and Methods​-Procedure and materials
4.​Results​- Data gathered and conclusions of what it means
5.​Discussion​- What we learned
6.​Data​(throughout)
7.​Cited​- Cite websites with info
Doc 2 Parts: Healthy eating what does it mean for adolescence
1.Abstract
2.Introduction
3.Methods
4.Results
5.Discussion
6.Data(Throughout)
7.References

Discussion and Conclusion:

From the data, the experiment showed that eating alkaline foods will make your ph level
less acidic. It was also confirmed that the opposite, eating acidic foods, will make the acidity of
your blood and saliva higher. By examining the data, it was shown that when eating a food of
high acidic contents, it will lower the pH of saliva almost immediately, then it will slowly raise to
the average ph level of the subject and will be completely reset in the course of an hour and a
half to fifteen minutes. The same pattern was observed with alkaline foods. This proves
homeostasis because it shows that when the bodies ph level is out of its average the body itself
with no outside help will return it to normal overtime.

Positives: ​The tests went very well and provided the study with the perfect information to prove
our hypothesis. All parts of the team played their part and did there tests effectively.
Researchers were also able to shape up very well from a conflictory start to the group.

Negatives: ​At the beginning of the project the group had a lot of conflict and fighting but shaped
up for the common good and managed to work well and effectively to accomplish a common
goal

No Errors Noticeable Or Recorded

Possible Errors: ​numbers recorded wrong, unlisted food eaten, incorrect times

Further tests: ​Different foods(ex Candy, Wheat, Dairy, Nuts, Poultry), meats showed outlier
results, and could be investigated further.

Works cited:
Gottfried, Sara, MD. "Eating Alkaline Foods: How to Test and Improve Your PH Levels." ​Sara Gottfried MD.​ N.p., 24 Apr. 2014. Web. 24 Jan.
2019. <​https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/eating-alkaline-foods-how-to-test-and-improve-your-ph-levels/​>.

Lewis, James L. "Overview of Acid-Base Balance - Hormonal and Metabolic Disorders." ​MSD Manual Professional Edition​. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
Jan. 2019. ​<https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/acid-base-balance/overview-of-acid-base-balance>.