Skull Analysis Virtual Lab Report

Skull Analysis Virtual Lab Report Instructions: As you complete each slide of the Skull Analysis Virtual Lab Activity, please fill in this lab report with the appropriate information and data. Title: Skull Analysis Virtual Lab Report Objective(s): Observe and Compare the unknown skull to the known skulls. Hypothesis: If The unknown skull has the same teeth and forehead structure as the Australopithecus than it is most likely the Australopithecus because of its similar structure. Variables: Independent Variable: The Different types of skulls Dependent Variable: measurements for each skull Control: The unknown skull??? Materials: • • • Skull casts: 4 known species and 1 unknown Calipers Device (laptop, computer, phone, tablet, etc.) Procedures: 1. Line up each of the skulls on the lab table, facing to the left, with the Frankfurt planes parallel to the ground. 2. Observe each skull from the side, recording your observations about the following features (use the table below to record your observations): A. Forehead: Is the angle of the forehead sloping or more vertical? Is the brow ridge above the eyes small, medium, or large? Does the forehead extend out above the eyes? B. Face: Is the shape of the face sloped or flattened and vertical? C. Teeth: Are the teeth long or short? Sharp or dull? 3. Observe each skull from the bottom view and locate the foramen magnum. This is the hole that connects the brain stem to the spinal cord. Record your observation of the location of each skull’s foramen magnum. Is it located toward the front or the rear of the skull? 4. Observe each skull from the top and record your observations of the shape of the brain cavity. Is it more round or oval? Are the edges more squared off or pointed? Make comparisons between the skulls. Quantitative Observations: Determine Supraorbital Height 5. Use the calipers to measure the distance AC (from point A to point C on the skull). 6. Use the calipers to measure the distance BC (from point B to point C on the skull). 7. These measurements will be used to calculate the skull’s supraorbital height index according to the formula: (BC/AC) × 100 = Supraorbital Height Index (note: The unit of measurement is SHI.) 8. Record the skull’s supraorbital height index in the data table. 9. Take the same measurements for each of the skulls, recording the supraorbital heights index in the data table. Data and Observations: Create a data table to record your observations and measurements for each skull: Skull Forehead Face Teeth Foramen Magnum Brain Cavity Supraorbital Height (SHI) Pan troglodytes (modern chimpanzee Skull Shape: Vertical Shape: flattened Width: Short Location of Foramen Magnum: Rear Shape: Oval (3.39/6.50) × 100 = 51.4 cm Location of Foramen Magnum: Front Location of Foramen Magnum: Round (3.34/6.8) × 100 = 54.9 cm SHI Location of Foramen Magnum: Front Location of Foramen Magnum: Round (6.10/9.01) × 100 = 67.7 cm SHI Location of Foramen Magnum: Rear Location of Foramen Magnum: Oval (4.14/6.69) × 100 = 61.9 cm SHI Teeth Observation: Sharp Eyebrow Ridge: Large Homo sapiens (modern human) Homo erectus (extinct hominid) Australopithecus afarensis (extinct hominid) Skull Shape: Vertical Eyebrow Ridge: Small Skull Shape: Sloping Eyebrow Ridge: Medium Skull Shape: Sloping Eyebrow Ridge: Large Shape: Vertical Width: Short Teeth Observation: Dull Shape: sloped Width: Long Teeth Observation: Dull Shape: flattened Width: Long Teeth Observation: Sharp Unidentified Fossil Skull Skull Shape: Sloping Eyebrow Ridge: Medium Shape: flattened Width: Long Teeth Observation: Dull Location of Foramen Magnum: Rear Location of Foramen Magnum: Oval (3.15/5.92) × 100 = 53.2 cm SHI Conclusion: Be sure to answer the following reflection questions in the conclusion of your lab report: • • Was your hypothesis correct? Which of the four species does the unidentified skull most resemble? Predict how you think it may relate to the other species in terms of evolution. Justify your answer with specific observations. How do the shapes of the face, forehead, and teeth differ between the various species? In conclusion my hypothesis was correct. Most of the features between the Australopithecus afarensis and the Unidentified Fossil Skull was very simular aside from sharpness of the teeth and the size of the eyebrow ridge. Its features strongly resembled that of the Australopithecus afarensis which led me to the conclusion that they have relation toward each other. They differ between other species because of the features not matching up as much as the Australopithecus afarensis. Though other species have simular properties, they do not have as much similarity with the unknown skull than the Australopithecus afarensis. Questions: Using what you have learned from the lesson and the virtual lab activity, answer the following questions in complete sentences: • What do you think accounts for these differences? How might some of these differences be possible adaptations? the adaptations of organisms to their different and changing environments can lead to alternated genes, traits, and creating new species. Depending on the way they age or do things during their lifetime an organism's features can change through environmental changes or different ways of doing day to day things. • In what way do you think the location of the foramen magnum relates to the movement of each species? I believe its location can help in the determine the position of the spine, creating differences in how different species walk, sit, and do day to day things. • What might the shape of the skull and the supraorbital height tell us about each species? It tells us the species type, age, and gender. They can also show differences and comparisons in evolution between the different species and how they can be simular throughout the different species through time.