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About the Experiment

Experiment Title: Does a seed in water need light, soil, or air to sprout and grow? (Workshop 4)

Conditions:

1. Seed + water (control)
2. Seed + water + no light
3. Seed + water + soil
4. Seed + water + no air

Experimental Predictions:

Prediction from: Computer Technician

I think that all the seeds except the ones coated in petroleum jelly will sprout. Of the remaining seeds, I think the control seeds will sprout the fastest -- the seeds placed in the dark and the seeds in the soil will sprout more slowly because they are all lacking light to help them sprout faster.

 

Experiment Methods and Procedure:

In all the following conditions, we used lima bean seeds:

• 3 pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with moistened paper towel;
• 3 pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with moistened paper towel put in thick envelope (darkness)
• 3 pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with moistened paper towel and soil;
• 3 seeds coated in petroleum jelly in plastic bag with moistened paper towel.

  The beans were measured and photographed on days 1,3,7,10, and 14 of the experiment.

  
  Results and Conclusions:

  Our results showed that a seed + water will sprout with or without light or soil, but will not sprout without air. Our hypothesis was accurate. With no light even seeds that sprouted did not grow as well as seeds that sprouted in other conditions. And, as in the first experiment (workshop 3), we observed the tendency of our seeds to rot. We are beginning to think that a lot of things can keep seeds from sprouting and growing and we will be testing some of our ideas in future experiments.

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