UCSB Science Line
Sponge Spicules Nerve Cells Galaxy Abalone Shell Nickel Succinate X-ray Lens Lupine
UCSB Science Line
Home
How it Works
Ask a Question
Search Topics
Webcasts
Our Scientists
Science Links
Contact Information
Hi, I would like to conduct a science fair experiment and measure the amount of energy produced by electrolytes in sports and other drinks when they cross a semipermeable membrane. I wondering if I could get some advise as to how to set up this experiment. Thank you.
Question Date: 2006-11-10
Answer 1:

What I'm thinking is that it might be fairly simple to take a tray, fill it with water, and then place a semi-permeable membrane across the midpoint of the tray dividing one half from the other. You may be able to place electrodes of some sort in each half of the tray to measure the current or voltage flowing across the membrane, by using a multimeter (it is a small device that measures current, voltage, resistance, etc.) You could then see how this measurement changes after adding different types of sports drinks or other drinks. Any changes may suggest that the electrolytes or other chemicals in the drink are increasing (or decreasing) electrical activity across the membrane relative to unenhanced water.

Answer 2:

Sports drinks have both electrolytes and carbohydrates in them. Electrolytes function in maintaining proper water balance in your body. Carbohydrates give you energy (measured in Calories and found on the nutritional label.)

I looked quickly online for other science fair projects that measured electrolytes in sports drinks and came up with a couple.

projects_1

projects_2

This website tells you about measuring conductivity in fruits/fruit drinks.

counductivity


Click Here to return to the search form.

University of California, Santa Barbara Materials Research Laboratory National Science Foundation
This program is co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation and UCSB School-University Partnerships
Copyright © 2020 The Regents of the University of California,
All Rights Reserved.
UCSB Terms of Use