1. Electrolytes in Orange Juice vs. Gatorade
Sara Sheridan
9th Grade

2. Problem
What drink has more electrolytes and is consequently better for the human body-orange juice or Gatorade?
Rationale

3. Research
Electrolyte-any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive
Main electrolytes in body
Ingredients in Gatorade and Orange Juice
Why are they important?

4. Hypothesis
If orange juice and Gatorade are tested for electrolyte content, then Gatorade will exhibit a higher amount of electrolytes and is therefore more beneficial to the human body.

5. Materials Orange Juice (100 mL) Gatorade (100 mL)
Distilled Water (100 mL)
Tap Water (100 mL)
Multimeter (1)
Copper wires (2, cm each)
9 Volt battery (1)
Graduated cylinder, ruler
Containers (4)

6. Procedure Measure materials Set up simple conductor Test liquids
Repeat 5 times for each liquid
Record data

7. Variables Independent Variable-Liquids
Dependent Variable-DCV measurement
Control Groups-Distilled and Tap Water

8. Data

9. Data, ctd. Liquid Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Avg. SDev.
Distilled Water
Tap Water
Gatorade
Orange Juice 4 20 9 2 14 7 1 18 6 21 3 16 8
17.8
7.8

10. Conclusion
The original hypothesis stated that Gatorade would contain the most electrolytes, as opposed to orange juice. The hypothesis was supported-Gatorade had the highest DCV measurement and therefore the most electrolytes.

11. Further Experimentation
Problems with the experiment
More in depth research before hand
Brands of orange juice
Different flavors/varieties of Gatorade
Calculating the actual electrolyte count

12. Thank You
Questions?

13. Works Cited
(2009).  Fluid and Electrolyte Balance.  MedlinePlus.  Retrieved from
(2009).  Electrolytes.  MedlinePlus.  Retrieved from
Smith, Kelly.  (23 June 2009).  Sports Drinks for Hydration and Electrolyte Replacement.
Examiner.com.  Retrieved from
(2009).  Homeostatic Mechanisms.  BookRags.  Retrieved from
(2009).  Ions.  Answers.com.  Retrieved from
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