2644 - CSUN ScholarWorks - California State University, Northridge

86 · journal of Student Research Abstracts
2839
HOW SEA ANEMONES DISTINGUISH POSSIBLE FOOD SOURCES.
J.M. Robbins, K.J. Ector and S. Engelmann (teacher). Palisades Charter High School, 15777 Bowdoin St.,
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.
This study examined the question of how sea anemones distinguish possible food sources, organic from
inorganic substances. Seven sea anemones of various sizes were offered five different organic substances, such
as plastic, Styrofoam, glass, shell, and a copper penny. The objects were drifted by the anemone and allowed
to brush the tentacles. If the tentacles attached to the object, it was considered accepted. The acceptance or
rejection rate was mostly random, although the Styrofoam was rejected by them all. The penny had an acceptance
rate of 29%, the shell had an acceptance rate of 14%, the plastic had an acceptance rate of 29%, and the
seaglass had an acceptance rate of 14%. From these results we can conclude that the sense of texture must play
an important factor in whether or not a potential food source is accepted or rejected.
2840
EFFECTS OF KNOWLEDGE OF PRIOR ACTIONS ON FORMATION
OF STRATEGY.
Joseph M. Dale and Stephen DeGusta (teacher). John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Drive,
Sacramento, CA 95831.
I devised a simple game for two players in which one player attempts to predict a number to be guessed by
his opponent. If he is successful, he again tries to predict a number guessed by his opponent. If he is unsuccessful,
he guesses a number which his opponent attempts to predict. Each player should attempt to develop a
strategy which will enable him to always predict his opponent's guess, and guess a number which his opponent
will not be able to predict. In the experimental group, I provided one player in each pair with a written
record of his prior guesses and predictions, his opponent's prior guesses and predictions, and who, he or his
opponent, won each game. His opponent had no such information. In the control group, neither player had
information. I attempted to determine whether the player with more information would be able to win more
often than if he had no such information, by forming a successful strategy. For reasons beyond my control, I
collected much less data than I had planned to collect. From the data collected, I concluded that there was no
significant difference (X 2 = 0.371, 0.057; 0.5 < p < 0.9) between the number of games won by players who had
information (while their opponents did not) and players who did not have information (and whose opponents
also had no information). However, I have identified several factors in my experimental setup and in the execution
of the game which may suggest that this conclusion is invalid.
2841
THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING WATER ON BEACH EROSION.
Gary Chu, Walter Yuen and Steve DeGusta (teacher). John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Drive,
Sacramento, CA 95831.
The purpose of this experiment was to see the effect of increasing water on beach erosion. A wave tank with
a wave maker was built for this experiment. Two thousand milliliters of sand was placed on the opposite end
of the wave maker in the tank at a sloped angle to simulate a beach and then five thousand milliliters of water
was added into the tank. After running the wave machine and taking note on how much sand was displaced
and the change in beach profile, 10 percent more water (500 ml) was added into the tank and the wave machine
was used again. Comparisons were made between the control group and test group beach profiles and the volume
of sand lost when the water was increased. The change in volume of sand showed that the beach was
changed significantly and the t-test verified this (t=22.13, p