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Unit 19: Biology Part 2 Page 115 of 137

Experiment: Make Model Mucus

Your mouth and nose are not covered by skin. They are referred to as
mucus membranes. The mucus they contain is important in defending
against pathogens.

Materials:

 ½ cup boiling water

 2 teaspoons gelatin
 Fork
 1 quarter cup corn syrup

1. Fill half a cup with boiling water.
2. Add three teaspoons of gelatin to the boiling water.
3. Let it soften before stirring with a fork.
4. Add a quarter of a cup of corn syrup.
5. Stir the mixture again with your fork and look at the long strands of
gunk that have formed.
6. As the mixture cools slowly add more water, small amounts at a time.

What’s Happening: Mucus is made mostly of sugars and protein. This is
exactly what you used to make your model of mucus, although they were
different sugars and proteins. The long, fine strings you could see inside
your model when you moved it around are protein strands. These protein
strands make mucus sticky and capable of stretching. Pathogens get caught
in this sticky material.

Experiment: Can I Eat That?

One of the ways that disease can be spread is through contaminated food.
In the U.S., we have many systems in place to reduce the chances of getting
sick from food. Restaurants must follow strict guidelines for handling food.
We have refrigerators and freezers to slow down the growth of bacteria.
Perishable foods have expiration dates. Let’s take a closer look at how
important those expiration dates are.

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