Marine Biology: Shark Senses Experiment

Study Notes

Experiment Overview

Experimenting with sense of smell using the "Shark Senses Experiment" from the Marine Biology unit.
Materials required: tomato juice, cups, water, measuring spoons.

Understanding Smell

Smelling involves inhaling air through the nose, leading to the lungs.
Olfactory sensors detect scents and relay information to the brain.
The olfactory organ responsible for smell is the nose.

Shark's Sense of Smell

A shark's olfactory organ consists of small sacs with external openings beneath the snout.
Water enters the sacs; receptors inside detect chemicals in the water.
Sharks, especially the lemon shark, have an exceptional sense of smell.
Lemon sharks can detect tuna oil at a concentration of one drop per 25 million drops of water.
Other shark species can detect at a level of one drop in 10 billion drops of water.

Experiment Procedure

Eight numbered cups are used, each containing seven tablespoons of water.
Four tablespoons of tomato juice are added to cup one.
Two teaspoons from each cup are transferred to the next cup in the series, diluting the juice.
The concentration of tomato juice decreases progressively with each transfer.

Results of the Experiment

The first detectable concentration of tomato juice was in cup number two, at one part per 100.
Comparatively, most sharks can detect scents at one part per million, and some at one part per 10 billion.
Highlights the significant difference in sensory capabilities between sharks and humans.

Recommendations

The experiment can be replicated at home using any safe, strongly scented liquid, such as lemon juice.

Experiment Overview

"Shark Senses Experiment" explores the sense of smell within the context of marine biology.
Requires materials: tomato juice, cups, water, measuring spoons.

Understanding Smell

Smelling engages the inhalation of air through the nose, facilitating access to the lungs.
Olfactory sensors in the nose detect scents and transmit information to the brain.
The nose functions as the primary olfactory organ in humans and many animals.

Shark's Sense of Smell

Sharks possess olfactory organs with small sacs and external openings positioned beneath their snouts.
Water enters the olfactory sacs, allowing receptors to identify chemicals dissolved in the water.
The lemon shark exhibits a remarkable sense of smell, detecting tuna oil at a ratio of one drop to 25 million drops of water.
Other shark species can detect scents with even greater sensitivity, at one drop per 10 billion drops of water.

Experiment Procedure

Eight numbered cups filled with seven tablespoons of water each are prepared for the experiment.
Four tablespoons of tomato juice are added to the first cup to create the starting concentration.
Two teaspoons of liquid from each cup are sequentially transferred to the next, causing a dilution of the tomato juice with each transfer.

Results of the Experiment

The first identifiable concentration of tomato juice was found in cup two, at a ratio of one part per 100.
Most sharks can detect scents at a sensitivity of one part per million, while some can perceive even more diluted concentrations, at one part per 10 billion.
The results emphasize the stark contrast in sensory perception capabilities between sharks and humans.

Recommendations

The "Shark Senses Experiment" can be conducted at home using safe, strongly scented liquids like lemon juice for similar sensory observations.

Description

Explore the fascinating world of shark senses through the 'Shark Senses Experiment' from the Marine Biology unit. This quiz will test your understanding of the mechanisms behind smell and how sharks utilize their olfactory organs to detect scents in water. Get ready to discover the remarkable sensory capabilities of lemon sharks and other species!