Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My project on the bioluminescence of marine plankton requires 3 opaque boxes to be put under a light for long periods of time. Do metal boxes work? I am just worried if metal boxes heat up and affect the temperature. Can you help me ?

Hi,

What you could do is place the plankton in glass containers or plastic cups and then take standard cardboard boxes, paint the inside white so that the light doesn't get absorbed and place the glass containers or plastic cups with the plankton inside of the boxes. Place a black fabric cloth over the top of the box and place the light inside and make sure the boxes are in a dark storage space.

While this is for dinoflagellates, these links may be of interest to you: http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/FieldCo ... rBioA.html

Bioluminescence: Investigating Glow-in-the-Dark Dinoflagellates https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p033.shtml

Hope this helps. Good luck with your project!

I think your question is a good one. I too would be worried that metal boxes would heat up and increase the temperature.

The other expert has some good suggestions for alternatives to metal boxes.

Best of luck,
Caroline