Plant Tropism Lab

DESIGN

Aspect 1:   Problem: How do bean plants respond to a light source? When the beans are tilted at an angle, how will the stems continue to grow?

        Hypothesis: The beanstalks should bend toward the light source in order to capture more light, this is called phototropism. The bean stem will likely grow upright, regardless of the angle it is tilted, and this is called gravitropism.

        Variables:  Manipulated: influence of sunlight and gravity

        Responding: angle of plant growth

        Controlled: -same room temperature/pressure

        -same source of light

        -same amount of tilt on the beans

        -same source of water

Aspect 2:   Controlling Variables:

Room temperature/pressure: keep all beans in classroom indoors, beside window

Light source: sunlight from window to the right of bean plants

Tilt on the beans: rotate all beans on the same day and at the same angle/direction

Water: distilled water from squeeze bottles is used to water plants

Aspect 3:        Materials:

-Kentucky Wonder beans

-Stringless Green beans

-Kidney beans

-Pencil Pod Black beans

-Golden wax beans

-plastic bag

-distilled water squeeze bottle

-paper towel

-ruler

-protractor

        Apparatus Diagram:

Diagram 1.0

        Procedure:

  1. Put a piece of paper towel in each of the 5 plastic bags, staple 5 pockets into each bag. Insert a bean into each pocket, one type of bean for each bag. Wet paper towel with distilled water and pin on wall to the left of a window
  2. Make qualitative observations on beans growth and direction of growth as they grow
  3. Measure bean’s height and angle when they are taller than 3 cm, when measuring bean angle, measure 3 cm from the tip to a vertical axis. Record data from each day on data table
  4. On the 10th day of the experiment, rotate the plastic bags holding the beans 90 degrees counter clockwise, make observations and measurements on bean growth the next day
  5. On the 12th day of the experiment, rotate the beans a further 90 degrees counter clockwise, making it 180 degrees from its original position. Make observations and measurements on bean growth the next day
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DATA COLLECTION & PROCESSING

Aspect 1:        Recording Raw Data:

Qualitative observations: (Group “3 Guys and Vlad)

March 3: No growth. (Day 1)

March 4: No growth. (Day 2)

March 5: Kentucky Wonder #2 sprouts. (Day 3)

March 8: Golden Wax #2 explodes, Pencil Pod #2 and Stringless Green #1 begins to sprout. (Day 4)

March 9: Kentucky Wonder #5 and Pencil Pod #1 begins to sprout. (Day 5)

March 10: Pencil Pod # 3 sprouts, Kentucky Wonder # 2 grows to 10 cm, 60° (Day 6)

March 11: Kentucky Wonder #2 dies, ...

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