Factors Affecting Nappy Weight - Lab Report Example

Determining Factors Affecting Nappy Weight Because of their fragility, infants should be monitored. One way is measuring fluid output. However, concentration and contents are as important. It was this activity’s aim to determine changes in nappy weight, based not just on the amount but also on the concentration and content of “urine”. The experimenters determined that concentration and content do not affect nappy weights. Introduction Infants, compared to adults, possess a greater volume percentage of water in their bodies (as much as 75%).

They are thus sensitive to changes in humidity, temperature, and nutrition that cause this water content to fluctuate. In addition, infants have still to develop a urinary system that concentrates or dilutes urine in response to changes in extracellular fluid. Aside from that, they are still unable to effectively communicate their complaints, It is thus important that outside monitoring of water loss and input be conducted to prevent complications such as dehydration or edema (Ambalavanan, 2010).

Early determination of abnormal fluid levels gives room for early intervention and prevention of complications. Usually, one can predict the predilection of infants to abnormal fluid levels by the maternal and newborn history. As well, measuring fluid output through urine, stool, nasogastric, orogastric, and cerebrospinal fluid may be conducted (Ambalavanan, 2010). Aim: To detect differences in the weight of nappies containing hypotonic (water) and hypertonic urine (the concentrated salt solution).

Materials and methods: For this experiment, four nappies per pair were prepared. After previously weighing all four, two (labeled 1 and 2) were added with 15-50 ml water, while the remaining were added with 15-50 l of concentrated salt. Weight differences between unused and wet nappies were then determined and presented in the tables below. Results: Table 1. Pair results for the weight of nappies (unused nappies) that were dry, were added with water (nappies 1 and 2) and were added with alcohol (nappies 3 and 4).

Nappies usedNappy weight in gramsDifference in mass between wet and dry nappyVolume of water added to nappy unused nappy 1 10Na0mlunused nappy 210.1Na0mlwet 127.317.330mlwet 2 24.314.225mlunused nappy 310.3Na0mlunused nappy 410.4Na0mlwet 331.621.335mlwet 422.612.220mlTable 1 summarizes the data collected by the pair of experimenters. As can be seen, the differences among the unused nappy weights were minimal, with the mean weight at 10.2 ± 0.2 grams. Any detected differences among wet nappies must thus be because of the fluids they contain, and not of the material they are made of. Table 2. Grouped pair results for the weight of dry nappy; the weight of wet nappy; the volume of water added to nappy in mL; and the difference in mass of nappy in group 2NappyNappy weight in gramsDifference in mass Volume of liquid added 110.

4na 0 ml  210.8na 0 ml  Wet 139.328.9 50 ml  wet 240.229.4 50 ml    29.15± 0.353553391   39     010.1     W 340.531.5 50 ml  W 441.431.3 50 ml    31.4 ± 0.141421356    Group 3     116.2     217.5     W 130.314.1 15 ML  W 236.418.9 15 ML    16.5 ± 3.39411255   314.1     415.3     W34631.9 30ml  W445.629.7 30ml    30.8± 1.555634919    Group 4     16.4     27.8     w146.239.8 30ml  w246.238.

4 30ml    39.1 ± 0.989949494   315.3     416.5     w358.433.1 35ml  w459.442 40ml          Group 5     118.2     217.1     w165.447.2 48ml  w262.345.2 44ml         317.1     415.9     w338.121 19ml  w437.421.5 20ml          Group 6     116.9     218     w136.419.5 20ml  w247.129.1 30ml         316.5     416.9     w336.2  20ml  w447.6  30ml  Looking at the data of other pairs (table 2), specifically of group 2, it can be seen that equal volumes of water and salt solution do not cause any significant differences in the change of nappy weight.

In support of this data, group 3 found that pouring a volume of the salt solution that was twice as much as the volume of water caused almost twice as high a weight difference as that recorded in nappies added with the same amount of water. DiscussionData gathered by this pair of experimenters, as well as of other groups were not used in obtaining the objectives of comparing hypotonic and hypertonic solutions in their effects on nappy weight. It is because unequal volumes of the two test solutions were tested.

For this experiment, the mean and standard deviations were compared. Standard deviation is an important assessment of the validity of the results obtained, such that a high standard deviation in the weights of two nappies that contain the same volume and kind of fluid, then something might have gone wrong. In addition, with this statistical parameter, the significance of the difference between water and salt solution in terms of causing increasing weight in nappies can be obtained. With these said, it is thus concluded that differences in nappy weight do not correspond to differences in the characteristics of the fluid they contain.

It is thus not a good measure of urine function, as, aside from the amount of urine it produces, is also assessed through the characteristics of the urine such as its concentration and its content (Campbell and Reece, 2002). For example, highly concentrated urine means that the body is conserving body fluid, which is seen in cases such as diarrhea. Another assessment of fluid output must thus be considered in monitoring the health of a patient, especially in pediatrics. Conclusion: Equal volumes of hypotonic and hypertonic solutions do not present any differences in the weight of nappies.