Is the low pH of carbonated drinks what causes its effect on meat? Experiment 2 draft 1

1.     What do you want to find out? (Aim/Purpose/Research question)

Is the low pH of Coca Cola what causes its effect on meat?

2.    What is the tentative explanation of your research question? (Hypothesis)

The low pH of Coca Cola is not what causes its effect on meat.

3.    In an investigation, there is only one variable to be changed. Which variable will you change in this investigation? (Independent Variable)

Type of solution that pieces of meat are placed in

4.    All the other variables must be kept constant. What are a few important variables that will affect the results greatly? (Controlled Variables)

·      amount of solution in each container

·       approximate size of each piece of meat

·      temperature of surrounding

·       temperature of liquid

·      relative shape of container(as long as the pieces of meat are able to be completely covered with Coca Cola with 250ml of Coca Cola, the shape does not matter)

·      type of meat used

·      place where bottles are placed

·      whether meat is cooked or raw

.      pH of solution that pieces of meat are placed in

5.    What results will you measure? (Dependent Variable)

Weight and total surface area of pieces of meat at the end of 48 hours

6.    What are the materials and apparatus that you will need to carry out the investigation? (Materials and Apparatus)

- 16 empty drink bottles

- 1litre of Coca Cola

- 1 litre of root beer

- 1litre of diluted phosphoric acid

- pork

- chicken breast

- steamer

- knife

- ruler

- weighing scale

- calculator

- paper towels

- pH probe

7.    What are the steps that you will take to carry out the investigation? (Procedure)

Step 1: Use the knife to cut out 2 pieces of raw chicken breast meat of approximately 1cmx2cmx2cm.

Step 2: Pour 250 ml of Coca Cola each into 2 bottles

Step 3: Measure the pH of the Coca Cola using a pH probe

Step 4: Record the pH levels oh the Coca Cola down

Step 5: Dilute the phosphoric acid until its pH level is equal to that of the Coca Cola in each bottle

Step 6: Pour 250 ml of the diluted phosphoric acid each into 2 bottles

Step 7: steam 2 pieces of chicken meat of at least approximately 4cmx4cmx2cm or larger just until they are cooked throughout

Step 8: Cut out 2 pieces of chicken meat measuring approximately 1cmx2cmx2cm from the cooked pieces of meat

Step 9: Using a ruler measure the dimensions of each of the pieces of meat and record down each of their total surface area

Step 10: Pat pieces of meat dry lightly using a paper towel to remove any excess liquid then, using a weighing scale weigh each piece of meat and record their masses down

Step 11: Place one piece of raw chicken meat into a bottle of Coca Cola and the other piece of raw chicken meat into a bottle of dilute phosphoric acid

Step 12: Place one piece of steamed and cut chicken meat into a bottle of Coca Cola and the other piece of steamed chicken meat into a bottle of dilute phosphoric acid

Step 13: Close the bottles using the bottle-caps

Step 14: Leave bottles in a shaded area of room temperature for 48 hours

Step 15: Observe the pieces of meat and the solutions they are in and record down observations

Step 16: remove pieces of meat from the bottles and weigh and measure them after patting pieces of meat dry lightly using a paper towel to remove any excess liquid 

Step 17: record data collected and organize data into a table calculating any change in weight and total surface area

Step 18: repeat steps 1-17 with pork meat

Step 19: repeat steps 1-18 with root beer

Step 20: repeat steps 1-19 once more

8.    How are data collected? (Data collection)

Data is collected using a weighing scale as well as a ruler and calculator. The weighing scale enables me to know the mass of the pieces of meat while the ruler and calculator enable me to know the total surface area of the pieces of meat. The pieces of meat are weighed before and after the experiment, after which the two weights are compared. Any change in the weights of the meat will then be compared against the data collected from other pieces of meat of the same condition and type soaked in different solutions. This will enable me to know if there is any difference in how each solution affects the weight of the pieces of meat. Which will help me to answer my experiment question on whether it is the low pH of Coca Cola that causes its effect on meat since the pieces of meat in coke will be compared with the pieces of meat in phosphoric acid, which is of the same pH as the coke used as well as pieces of meat in root beer, which has a higher pH of coke but should have similar components.

The pieces of meat are also measured with a ruler after which their total areas are calculated with a calculator before and after the experiment. This enables me to compare the areas of the pieces of meat before and after the experiment to find any change in them.  Any change in the total surface areas of the meat will then be compared against the data collected from other pieces of meat of the same condition and type soaked in different solutions. This will enable me to know if there is any difference in how each solution affects the total surface areas of the pieces of meat. Which will help me to answer my experiment question on whether it is the low pH of Coca Cola that causes its effect on meat since the pieces of meat in coke will be compared with the pieces of meat in phosphoric acid which is of the same pH as coke.