Lab report

Bone flexibility
Members:
Sara Ricardo
Valentina Acosta
Fiorella Lasprilla
Mariana Jiménez
Sara Haag
Teacher: Martha Hernández
Liceo de Cervantes
2022

LAB 1. III TERM

STUDY OF BONE FLEXIBILITY
 FIRM, BUT FLEXIBLE : CHICKEN BONE LAB

OBJECTIVE : Demonstrate that a bone can lose its mineral salts and become flexible
and soft.

Summary: When the bone is in the vinegar for several days, becomes more flexible and
loses weight. This is because, thanks to the vinegar, the bone dissolves and loses
protein, which makes it softer, more flexible and lighter. All this can be concluded by
doing the experiment step by step and constantly checking what happens to the bone. It
is important that at the beginning you remove all the meat that has the bone as much as
possible. It is also essential to change the vinegar when you can. If everything is done
correctly the experiment should come out as it is.

Introduction
The bones have a vital importance in our life, they support our body, and guarantee us
mobilization. The external observation of a bone conveys the idea of rigidity and
resistance, a logical perception since it is a structure created to support the entire
organism. However, from this observation it is no longer easy to deduce that the bones
have a remarkable elasticity, the greater the younger the person. We know that bones
are flexible, since in children and despite the spectacular falls they suffer, it is rare for
breaks to occur. Its rigidity and resistance are given by its mineral salts, while its
elasticity is given by osteon, a protein substance (collagen) that gives bones elasticity,
thereby preventing them from being excessively fragile.In this experiment we are going
to use vinegar and see how bones lose hardness and become more elastic and soft.
Vinegar dissolves the calcium, or apatite, in the bone, leaving only the protein, or
collagen, so you can bend the bone.

Materials and methods

Materials : Chicken leg bones, Vinegar, container of household, balance, gloves, safety
glasses,lab coat, ruler.

Methodology

1. Select or choose two chicken leg bones. Dry off any excess moisture and remove any
“meat” and “gristle” remains on the bone for a better close look and a better result.

2. Weigh and measure the length of each bone or specimen.

3. Write down in the chart all the information or the data collected previously to provide a
tracking of the bones and be able to compare and show the results of the specimens for
the next few days.

4. Place both chicken leg bones in a container and fill it with enough vinegar to cover
both of them.

5. Each day, take the bones out of the container and dry off any excess moisture left on
them. After that, you may proceed to weigh and measure the specimens. Again, record
the data or information collected previously onto the chart. Notice all of the changes of
color, texture, and appearance of the bone. Continue this exact process for 7 to 10 days.

Questions

1- What is the calcification and the calcium deficiencity?

Answer : Calcification happens when calcium builds up in body tissue, blood vessels, or
organs. The other 1 percent is in the blood, muscles, fluid outside the cells, and other
body tissues. Some disorders cause calcium to deposit where it doesn’t typically belong.
You may need treatment to prevent complications if you have this extra calcium buildup.
And calcium deficiency occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium. A long-term
calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and
osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle. A calcium deficiency may be
caused by a lack of vitamin D. It may also indicate a disorder in the four small glands in
the neck (parathyroid glands), the kidneys, or the pancreas. Most of the time, there are
no symptoms. In severe cases, some of the symptoms include muscle cramps,
confusion, and a tingling sensation in the lips and fingers.
2- Why do the bones need minerals?
Answer: The bones need nutrients and minerals because it is necessary for the bone
formation. They need calcium, protein, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D, potassium,
and fluoride.The amounts of certain vitamins and minerals that you eat,, directly affect
how much calcium is stored in the bones.
3- What was the function of the vinegar in this experiment ?
Answer: In this experiment, the vinegar has the function of softening the bone so that it
can bend and thus show its flexibility and elasticity.
4- Why do the bones lose their weight, and why do they become flexible?
Vinegar dissolves the calcium, or apatite, in the bone, leaving only the protein, or
collagen, so you can bend the bone. After a few days of soaking in vinegar, almost all
the calcium in the bone of the experiment is gone. The bone become soft and rubbery,
that means they are losing their weight along with essential nutrients.
5- What is the reaction of the vinegar (acetic acid) and the calcium of the bones ?
Answer: The acid component of vinegar reacts with calcium compounds in bones,
making the calcium soluble so that the water component of vinegar can then dissolve
the calcium from the bones

Results :
The results obtained by this experiment are that the bone, when it was in the vinegar for
several days, became more flexible and lost weight. When the vinegar dissolves in the
calcium it only leaves the protein and this is why it becomes soft. This experiment
allowed us to verify that the bone is rigid and strong, but at the same time it is elastic.
 Day Day Day
Photo: Chicken leg

Weight 12g -14,4g 5,5 g – 12,9g 6,8 g-16,5g

Length 8cm-11cm 7cm-10cm 7cm-10cm

Other observations We were able to see that It was softer, the color The bone was really soft. One of
the bone had a rigid changed, it had less them could fold a lot because it
cartilage. It has a reddish longitude. got flexible. Finally, both bones
color and it was hard, it have a deep brown color where
was difficult to break. the cartilage was.