Scribd
Upload
1 views

Redi and the Scientific Method (AulaVirtual)

Uploaded by

alonsotreceno6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
1 views

Redi and the Scientific Method (AulaVirtual)

Uploaded by

alonsotreceno6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

3º ESO Grupo: REDI Y EL MÉTODO CIENTÍFICO Fecha:

Apellidos: Nombre: Calificación:

Read the following text and answer the questions:


questions:
The spontaneous generation theory enjoyed validity until the middle of the XVIIth century.
The appearance of maggots in the flesh was considered an evidence of this theory.

Francesco Redi, Italian doctor,


doctor was a dissident and made a series of experiments to
prove his ideas. Later he published them as Insects generation experiments
(Esperienzeintornoallagenerazionedegl'
Esperienzeintornoallagenerazione insetti) in 1668. Redi’s
’s opinion was:

The Earth, after producing the first plants and animal by Supreme Creator’s
command, have never produced any type of either plant or animal, either perfect or
imperfect.

Moreover, he added:

And although this is a daily observation matter, la production of infinite worms in


corpses and in plants in decomposition, I feel persuaded to believe that those worms were
all produced by insemination and the matter in putrefaction where they are found onlyo is
used as a right place or nest where animals lay their eggs in the mating period and where
they also find food

To prove his supposition, Redi set eight jars that contained different types of meet. In his
words:

The belief without the experiment confirmation


confirmation is hollow, so, in mid – July (1667) I
placed a snake, some fish, some eels from Arno river and a piece of beef in four big wide
opening jars, after being closed and sealed I filled the same number of jars in the same way
but, in this case, I left them open.
In his observation,
ervation, he found that flies gattered in the open jars and they laid eggs. In a
short time, maggotsappeared in all the open jars; weeks later,
later Redi opened the sealed jars,
jars
the inside was rotten and it smelt bad, but maggots did not grow up.

Redi repeated the experience covering the jars with gauze like a mosquito screen, instead
of sealing them. In that way, air came on the flesh. Results were exactly the same tan the
first experiment. In this way, Redi described the experiment result:
result

It did not take so long until the flesh and the fish from the second group were full of
maggots and flies, which could be seen going in and out; however, in the jars with gauze no
maggots were seen, although many days went since the dead fish were placed.
placed

mma does the text suggest? What did the spontaneous generation theory
a) What dilemma
state?

b) What steps from the scientific method can you point out from the text?
text

c) What variable(s) did Redi use in his experiment? Why did he choose this / these
variable(s)?
d) What variables can you guess that he maintained fix or constant?
constant

e) Redi first closed some jars but afterwards he covered them with gauze, why?What
why
for are the open jars?
jars

f) What is Redi’s conclusion?


conclusion Why did he publish his experiments?

You might also like