Abstract
This project was used to determine the father of a baby by using blood typing. If the blood types
of the participants correlate with the correct antibodies, then the blood will agglutinate, because certain
blood types clot with certain antibodies.
The procedure tested the blood of the potential fathers by finding their blood types. The blood
types were then determined for the mother and baby. The blood types were then compared to find a
match for the baby’s blood.
Overall, the father was determined through blood typing, for the specific blood traits matched
the baby and made him the only possible father.
Introduction
For this situation, Quinn is a high school teenager who is pregnant. The problem is that there are
two potential fathers for the baby, Puck and Finn. In order to determine the father, blood types from all
four people (including the baby) are compared to determine a father who is a “blood match” to the
baby. Thus, this project is used to investigate the paternal dilemma and to find the baby’s father by
blood typing all of the participants.
In this project, the use of blood typing is highly prevalent. Blood typing is the classification of
blood by inherited antigens associated with erythrocytes -red blood cells (Blood Typing, 2009). There are
four types of blood that a person can inherit – A, B, AB, and O (ABO Blood-Group System, 2009). This is
organized in the ABO blood-group system. A blood has A antigens and B antibodies. B blood has B
antigens and A antibodies. AB blood has both antigens and no antibodies (Blood Types, 2009). Finally, O
blood has no antigens and both antibodies. Another way of specifying a blood type is by determining a
blood’s RH factor. If a blood has RH, then it is RH+. If it does not have RH, then it is RH-.
When different blood types mix, antibodies can cause clotting to occur, and can harm anyone
who is given a blood transfusion with an improper type of blood. Problems with mixing blood are
especially apparent when a mother and her unborn child have different types of blood. The RH factor is
the main cause of these pregnancy complications. If a mother is RH negative and the fetus is RH positive,
the antibodies of the mother can attack the baby’s blood and cause problems and even birth defects (RH
Incompatibility, 2010).
In general knowledge, O blood is a recessive blood type that is commonly represented by an “i”
on a Punnett square. A and B bloods are dominant, and can be codominant together. Rh+ is dominant
and RH- is recessive.
Hypothesis: If the blood types of the participants correlate with the correct antibodies, then the blood
will agglutinate, because certain blood types clot with certain antibodies.
Experiment
Materials:
 Blood type slide
 10 toothpicks
 Anti-A serum
 Anti-B serum
 Anti-Rh serum
4 blood samples
Procedure:
1) Each blood sample was put into 3 separate petree dishes, for a total of 12 individual samples
2) Each of the three were given a different antibody serum
3) After two minutes, toothpicks were used to pick at and analyze the samples. If clotting occurred,
then the blood sample matched the antibody.
Ex: a blood sample clotted when given
an A-antibody, so the blood is therefore A blood.
4) Record all of the data and results. Use all three samples of each blood sample to determine the
blood type by analyzing which antibodies clotted each blood sample.
Results
Sample
#
Person
1
Quinn
2
Puck
3
Finn
4
Baby
Agglutination (+ or -)
A
B
Rh
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
ABO Blood
Type
A
B
AB
O
Rh Blood
Type
Possible genotypes
+
AA+, Ai+
+
BB+, BO+
-
AB-
+
ii+

“+” indicate that the blood does produce the specific agglutination or an RH existence.

“-“ indicate that the blood does not produce the specific agglutination or an RH existence.
Observances:
Before the experiment:
Materials we low due to previous overuse from other scientists.
During the experiment:
The agglutination of the different blood types caused many different rates of blood clotting to
be evident.
The more a blood sample clotted, the redder it seemed to become.
After the experiment:
The blood samples dried quickly making materials hard to clean.
Calculations:
Example:
Certain blood sample clots,“+” is then assigned to the proper antibody/blood type/RH factor. Additional
information is then applied.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can look at the results and
Quinn
Puck
A
i
see that Puck is the father of the baby. By blood typing
B
AB
Bi
the baby, as seen in the results table, it is proven that
i
Ai
ii
it has O blood. Looking at the Punnett square to the
left, it is evident that Quinn and Puck’s possible Ai and
Bi blood can produce an offspring with ii, or O blood. Finn, because he has AB blood, does not carry an O
blood recessive allele and cannot produce a child with O blood. Quinn, Puck, and the baby are all RH+,
which further proves that Puck is the dad since RH+ is a dominant allele. These findings support the
hypothesis, because the antibodies did cause blood clotting, allowing the blood types to be determined
and the true father to be found. The procedure was successful because all of the materials were kept
clean, keeping contaminated blood samples from existing. Also, the amount of blood per sample in
correspondence with the amount of antibodies used was correct, because blood clotting was easy to
see. Error could have been possible due to mislabeling. If blood samples between the participants were
switched or mixed up, false data and results would have been produced. However, the samples were
kept organized, avoiding this problem. If the experimental design could be changed, larger quantities of
blood samples and antibodies could be used. This would allow for even more testing, double-checking to
make sure that the data stays consistent. For further study, real blood samples could be used to see the
real reactions between blood samples and antibodies. Using microscopes would also expand the
experiment, because it would allow students to see what happens to individual blood cells when
agglutination occurs.
Reference List
(2009). Blood Types. American Red Cross, Retrieved May 28, 2010, from http://www.redcrossblood .org/
learn-about-blood/blood-types
(2010). Rh Incompatibility. Retrieved May 28, 2010, from the Active Forever Web site:
http://www.activeforever. com/a-2093-rh-incompatibility.aspx
ABO blood-group system. (2009). Encyclopædia Britannica Family Encyclopedia. Chicago: Encyclopædia
Britannica.
Blood typing. (2009). Encyclopædia Britannica Family Encyclopedia. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica.