Can a supplement make mice gain weight faster than a plain diet? This project compares three groups of mice over one month.
Three groups of three female mice each get a different diet. One group gets Creatine Monohydrate (a muscle-building supplement). Another group gets Centrum (a daily vitamin). The third group eats only plain food with no supplement.
You weigh each group every two days and record the average. After one month you compare how much weight each group gained.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that Creatine Monohydrate will be the most effective vitamin for weight gain in mice.
A body breaks down food and turns it into energy, but supplements may change how efficiently that happens. This project compares three groups of three female mice over one month. One group receives Creatine Monohydrate, another receives Centrum, and the third eats only plain food with no supplement. Each group is weighed every two days, and the weight gained reveals whether either supplement shifted how the mice processed their normal diet.
What you eat affects how your body gains or holds its weight. This project compares three groups of mice over one month, each on a different diet. The mice are weighed every two days for a total of fourteen times, showing how diet choices shape weight change over time.
Method & Materials
You will need three sets of three mice of the same sex and different colors. Each group of mice will be fed a normal diet, except for two groups which will also be fed a vitamin supplement. The mice will be weighed every two days for a total of fourteen times a month.
You will need three sets of three mice, a dropper, a normal diet, Creatine Monohydrate, and Centrium (daily vitamin).
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The results of this experiment support the hypothesis that Creatine Monohydrate is the most effective vitamin for weight gain in mice. The white mice, who were fed Creatine Monohydrate, gained an average of 1.25 ounces over the period of a month, while the brown mice, who were fed Centrium, gained an average of 0.6 ounces.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it tests the effects of vitamins on weight gain in mice, which can be applied to humans.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include testing different types of vitamins, different amounts of vitamins, and different types of diets.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
