Two groups of owl pellet bones were placed in either water or vinegar, theoretic

Question

Two groups of owl pellet bones were placed in either water or vinegar, theoretically...

A) Which group of bones would be more flexible? Why is this so?

B) What would be damaged in the bones placed in vinegar?

C) How might the results vary if the same procedure was performed using bones that had not been regurgitated in an owl pellet (such as raw chicken bones)?

D) Some people suffer from a disease called rickets, in which their bones have not been adequately calcified. Which group of bones is most similar to that of a patient with rickets? Why?

Explanation / Answer

A. The bones were flexible when placed in vinegar because vinegar is a strong acid and it chemically reacts with bone and most of the calcium carbonate is removed.

B. When placed in vinegar, the bone floats, smells bad and reacts against calcium and minerals in bone and also appears discolored. The bone also appears to be rotten and a grey gel like substance called collagen has left on the bone after the vinegar disaolves calcium carbonate.

C. All the bones are made of calcium and othet minerals. So the bone used in experiment would react to vinegar which soaks in the same way. So this experiment would have the same effect on owl pellet.

D. Vitamin D generally helps in controlling calcium and phosphate levels which are absorbed through food intake and skin. Rickets is caused due to calcium deficiency in which the body and also release minerals from bone which causes them to brittle out and remain frail. Rickets is similar to vinegar beaker.

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