Science of Biofuels – Fermentation and Biofuels Lab – Student

Summary

Students set up a yeast fermentation experiment using sugar or corn syrup, measure CO2 release by tracking balloon diameter every five minutes, graph their results, and work through ten analysis questions connecting the lab to industrial ethanol production and biofuel trade-offs. The student guide includes a hypothesis prompt, data table, graphing instructions, experiment tips, and a self-assessment rubric. Designed for high school, works well paired with the teacher guide for APES or an Earth and Environmental Science energy unit.