BIOLOGY – UNIT 3

Laboratory Assignment: Budding – Criterion B & C

Introduction

Budding is a form of reproduction seen in some microscopic fungi called yeast. In this
experiment, we will examine baker’s yeast to observe this type of reproduction. This yeast can
be used to make bread, beer and wine. We will look at this yeast under a microscope at
different times during the budding process.

Objectives:

• The student will observe and understand the process of asexual reproduction in fungi.

• The student will be able to use laboratory materials and tools appropriately.

• The student will be able to present and interpret data and describe results using scientific
reasoning.

Material

• Fresh yeast • Water • Sugar • Erlenmeyer • Eyedropper • Microscope

• Microscope slides • Cover slips • Filter paper

Procedure
1. Preparing the yeast mixture
a. Pour 50ml of water into the Erlenmeyer.
b. Add one spoon of fresh yeast.
c. Stir carefully to eliminate lumps and to get a smooth mixture.
2. Observation under the microscope
a. Put one drop of the mixture on a microscope slide and place a cover slip on top. Make
sure there are no air bubbles. Use a small piece of filter paper to absorb any extra water
around the cover slip.
b. Place the slide on the microscope stage. Look at it with the lowest-power lens objective
and bring it into focus.

3. Repeating the procedure.

a. Add two spoons of sugar to the Erlenmeyer and repeat step 2.
 QUESTIONS
It´s time to get to work!!!!. Below you can find 5 questions that you will have to
answer at the best of your capabilities. Please answer them writing in red colour so
it´s easier for me to distinguish between what you wrote and the document.

The last question is a difficult one (and long as well), take your time and remember
that you can ask me anything in class or through Teams. But don´t leave for the last
day.

Integrity is important. Any cases of plagiarism will get a 0 in both criteria evaluated
in this assessment.

1)In the laboratory, you repeated the procedure twice and the second time you added two
spoons of sugar.

a) Why? Because we wanted to cause a chemical reaction in the yeast.

Sugar provides food for yeast. By mixing the water with the yeast and sugar the
yeast begins to reproduce. Mainly what we wanted to obtain is how C02 is
produced in the fermentation of the bread dough.

b) Describe the differences you observed between the two samples.

In the first image with the absence of sugar we see how the cells are round or
oval that are moving, instead in the image where we have added the sugar ( that
means we have nourished the mixture), the cells begin to swell and multiply
themselves.

c) Outline a hypothesis on why they look different.

 When we add water to the yeast, it is activated as a living being that it is.
By adding the sugar, the yeast obtains the energy to carry out the vital functions
of the living beings (nutrition,relationship,reproduction).

2)You looked at a living organism.

a) Did you identify any life processes in the yeast mixture? If yes, which ones?
During the fermentation process we have been able to observe how the cells of
the mixture of yeast, water and sugar have carried out the functions of developing
and multiplying.

b) How did you identify those life processes, what did you see in the sample?
Yeast are cells that reproduce asexually, by accelerating the nutrition process by
adding sugar we can see how they reproduce faster.

3)Re-read the procedure and think of one way to improve it so you can make the
experiment more reliable.
We can do the experiment in our homes in a more real way. We take a glass in which
we put the yeast, warm water and a little sugar suddenly ¡¡ the miracle occurs!! and
you see how bubbles begin to bloom in the mixture that emit a sound resulting from
the gases that are generated.
4)When we put a balloon covering the Erlenmeyer mouth, it inflates. Why is that? (Use
Google if necessary)
When we have mixed the yeast with the sugar, fermentation takes place, which is a
chemical reaction in which CO2 is released. If we place a balloon covering the
Erlenmeyer, it will inflate with the gas that escapes from the Erlenmeyer and inflate the
balloon.

5)The yeast used in the practical was bought in a supermarket and was just one of the
several brands on stock. One of those brands stated that their yeast was the best, as it
grows faster than other and therefore can make whatever you are baking spongier.
We are scientists and we can check if they are saying the truth. Write a list of materials
and a procedure that we could use to know which brand of yeast is the best. You can
use the procedure on this document as an example on how to write one.

Introduction:
After the pandemic and confinement, we have seen how many supermarkets ran out of
yeast as many Spanish people decided to make their own bread and biscuits at home.
Our scientific research team is going to investigate two brands of yeast that we have
found in the supermarket to check their effectiveness for the preparation of different
desserts and breads.

Objectives:

1. Our comparison will be between “The Royal Yeast” and the “Fermipan Yeast”
brands.
2. Observe the chemical reactions that occur with the different yeast
3. See which is the most suitable for the preparation of different recipes.

Materials:

• Royal yeast & Fermipan yeast • Water • Sugar • Erlenmeyer • Eyedropper Microscope
• Microscope slides • Cover slips • Filter paper slips • Heater
Procedure:

1.Preparing the yeast mixture

a. Pour 50ml of water into the Erlenmeyer.
b. Add one spoon of Royal yeast
c. Add two spoons of sugar
d. Stir carefully to eliminate lumps and to get a smooth mixture.

Do the same mixture but adding Fermipan yeast

2.Observation under the microscope

a. Put one drop of the mixture on a microscope slide and place a cover slip on
top. Make sure there are no air bubbles. Use a small piece of filter paper
to absorb any extra water around the cover slip.

b. Place the slide on the microscope stage. Look at it with the lowest-power
lens objective and bring it into focus.

Results:
We observe the Royal yeast mixture we see how no reaction or
multiplication occurs.
The Fermipan yeast mixture we see how yeast cells react chemically and
reproduce.
Place the Royal yeast mixture in the Elermeyer and heat it , we can see how
there reaction chemical.

Final conclusion:
we have been able to observe the difference between Fermipan and Royal yeast. Royal
yeast is not a yeast as such, but rather a chemical promoter, which is why we see under
the microscope that it does not have a life of its own, as is shown in the fresh Fermipan
yeast. For Royal yeast to provide the rising effect it needs heat. For all this, coming to
the conclusion that fresh yeast is better used for making doughs that must previously
rise to be baked, such as bread. While Royal yeast can be used to make biscuit dough,
cakes and pancakes.