View Participants' Experiments

View data for this experiment.

About the Experiment

Experiment Title: In what liquids will a seed sprout and grow? (Workshop 5)

Conditions:

1. Seed + water (control)
2. Seed + vinegar water
3. Seed + dish soap
4. Seed + salt water
5. Seed + baby oil
6. Seed + sugar water

Experimental Predictions:

Prediction from: Audio Engineer

I think the control seed will sprout. I do not think the seed in vinegar will sprout because vinegar is an acid, which isn't helpful for growth. I also do not think that the seed in dish soap will sprout because detergent is made of chemicals designed to kill organisms. I do not think the seed in salt water will grow because the salt will cause the cells of the seeds to absorb the salt and disrupt their natural balance. I do not think the seeds in baby oil will grow because the baby oil will suffocate the seeds. The seeds in sugar water might grow. In fact, they might grow faster because sugar is kind of like a fuel.

 

Experiment Methods and Procedure:

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

• 3 pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with paper towel moistened with water;
• pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with paper towel moistened with vinegar;
• pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with paper towel moistened with diluted dish soap;
• pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with paper towel moistened with salt water;
• pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with paper towel moistened with baby oil;
• pre-soaked seeds in plastic bag with paper towel moistened with sugar water

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

Results and Conclusions:

The only seeds that sprouted and grew in this experiment were seeds + water. Seeds in dish soap, vinegar, and salt water did not sprout but instead shriveled up; seeds in baby oil also did not sprout and turned brown. The seeds in sugar water rotted and molded. We thus accept most of our hypothesis, however, we thought the sugar water might help the seed grow. We also noted that liquids other than water seemed to prevent the seeds from rotting, with the exception of sugar water.

View data for this experiment.

Back to Next Move Home