Date: Thu, 09 May 1996 05:55:31 -0700
From: John_M_BROWNING at umail.umd.edu (jb189)
Subject: plant lab
To: plant-ed at net.bio.net
We are developing a plant biology lab for non-science students dealing with
botanical products. The idea is for students to conduct experiments that
illustrate how products they use are developed from plants. Do you know of any
experiments we could use? We plan to do one experiment where we distill
plant material to get oils for perfumes. We need something else to fill the
time. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
John Browning
University of Maryland, College Park
jb189 at umail.umd.edu
Dear plant-netters,
I have done a plant products lab with non-majors in which we made
wine from grapes. Blend grapes in the blender, filter through
cheesecloth, to obtain 400 ml juice. Adjust the juice to specific
gravity 1.08-1.11(11%-13% potential alcohol) by adding sugar if
necessary. As a guide, 13.5 g of sugar will increase the specific
gravity of 400 ml of juice by about 0.01. Use a wine hydrometer to
measure specific gravity. Add 1/4 teaspoon of ammonium phosphate
and 1/8 wine yeast if desired. The mixture is fermentated in a 500
ml glass
bottle with a balloon over the top. After one week, measure specific
gravity again to calculate % alcohol and taste if you dare!
We also make recycled paper. Some students added rose petals and
mint leaves.
Judy Schmalstig
jschmals at rollins.edu
Dept of Biology
Rollins College
1000 Holt Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
