Hello,
I'm working on an optimization experiment related to yeast growth and the best conditions for growth. Optical density is a measure of yeast growth, and from the literature, this yeast strain grows best at 30 degrees Celcius. Suprisingly the results have shown that optical density is higher at a lower temperature, around 20 degrees. What statistical test should I use if the null hypothesis is that the highest optical density is achieved at a temperature of 30 degrees Celcius?
Please be kind. I have minimal background in stats; I'm just a lab tech. Thank you
If you want to check if difference in optical density is statistically significant, you can use simple unpaired t Student test. Your null hypothesis is OD at 20 degrees Celsius == OD at30 degrees Celsius. The alternative hypothesis is OD at 20 degrees Celsius != OD at 30 degrees Celsius. You prepare samples at 20 and 30 degrees, measure OD thrice, calculate means and standard deviations, and you perform t Student test.
If you want to check how OD changes in function of temperature and express it in equation, you can prepare samples at 20, 25 and 30 degrees Celsius, measure OD of each sample thrice, calculate means and standard deviations and finally try to fit the function, perhaps linear or quadratic.
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