Info
| Explore | Plants need and do photosynthesis. They need and do Cellular respiration. They also start as a seed, sprout, grow leaves, and then grow more seeds. I know how photosynthesis works, and how cellular respiration works. I also know some about germination now. The seed is in its dormant stage as a... |
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| Research Question | How does the plant being in light or dark affect the germination rate? |
| Predictions | If the plant is germinating in the dark then it will germinate faster. I suggest that the plant might grow better in the dark for these reasons. The plant will grow better in the dark because in the wild a seed usually grows in the ground. When a seed is in the ground it is also in the dark. The... |
| Experimental Design | Put paper towels in petri dishes, Make the paper towels wet with 10 ml of water put 5 Buckwheat seed in a petri dish 1 with gloves on and set it under a regular lamp Put another 5 seeds in petri dish 2 with gloves on Put the second petri dish in a cupboard Put 5 seeds in petri dish 3 with... |
| Conclusion | Claim: The darker the environment the seed is in the faster it will germinate. Evidence: We did an investigation to prove this. In the investigation all of the seeds in the dark germinated on the second day. On the second day, only two seeds left on the table germinated (The seeds left on the... |
| About this Project |
This team was well organised and I could see improvement in their way of addressing their work on the online platform. The teacher was well organised too. -- Pankaj Kumar, Scientist Mentor |
Updates
Great work every one.
Best wishes for your life ahead.
Pankaj
Hello Mr. Kumar today is sadly the day we have to say goodbye. So thank you for all you did to help us become better scientists and give us better knowledge so thank you and goodbye.
Logan
Thank you Logan. Hopefully our paths will cross again, some day somewhere.... Best wishes
Pankaj
thank you for helping us with and goodbye
Thank you for all you did for our project and the way you helped us!!
Thank you for helping us and goodbye.
Ok, so if I look at this graph, it means, day 1 you put the seed in the petridish and day 2 all of them germinated. I assume you are not literally saying they germinated on second day, but second observation. So accordingly, you need to correct the label on x-axis of your graph.
Nice work.
Pankaj
I think this claim is correct because different seeds do different things in different environments. We used Buckwheat seeds which might do better in the dark because they are safer and the gases remain undisturbed.
I see pictures were posted from your dark environment and your light environment. What about your room light environment?
Claim: The darker the environment the seed is in the faster it will germinate.
Hi Everett
Thank you for the information.
Such experiments are not only meant for hands-on experience in setting up experiments, doing things sincerely and taking responsibility but also for everyone to explore how natural world works and how organisms react with environment. So, lets say your claim is correct. Can you please explain why you think so?
Best regards
Pankaj
from yesterday. sorry it just uploaded
very well done Logan!!
Keep it up!
By the way, the roots seem to be drying up. Hope you have finished your experiments, if not then you may need to give some water to them.
Pankaj
A suggestion:
You must not put tapes on the top of the lid for such experiments. Instead put tapes on the side or use markers.
Best of luck.
Ok! I am a bit confused, if someone can help.
Did you use "BUGLEWEED" or "BUCKWHEAT" seeds?
I see kind of pyramid shaped seeds which looks like Buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum and Bugleweed is another plant, Ajuga reptans and seeds are oval moreorless kidney shaped.
But, dont worry, you can still call your team Bugleweed Baboons!! :)
Hello, Mr.Kumar yes we are using buckwheat sorry for the confusion.
Good morning Sam
Thank you for sharing images of your experiment.
When you say dark, it is always advisable to use a black box or anything which is black on the inside. Sometimes intermittent lights like a camera flash or just opening and closing the room or container affects the seed germination. But will be happy to see the final results!!
Keep it up.
Pankaj
"On a table with nothing" means that we will just put seeds out in the classroom with just normal class lights.
Understood.
Thank you so much.
Hi all -- Just a reminder not to post Google Drive/Docs links to the Updates feed. Upload the photos or documents to the 'Files' section in the menu to the left. Thanks!
[Links removed]
Hello Everett
Nice drawings and explaination.
May I know what does it mean when you say "Variation: on a table with nothing"?
Have fun!!
Pankaj
Good morning Everett
Somehow I didnt get any emails from this group recently and when I logged in I found your question.
How do you determine the evaporation rate?
Ans: There are many ways:
1. You take a petridish, without a cover, pour known amount of water, lets say 25 ml and and leave it open at the place where you have set up your experiment. Then check how much time it takes to dry. But this may need night observation which may not be possible for you. This experiment will need to have multiple observations, each time after the petridish dries up, you add water again and wait till it dries. Lets say 25 ml dries up totally in 5 hours. Your evaporation rate is 25 divided by 5, that is 5 ml/hour
2. Take a graduated (a beaker that has volume markings on the outer surface) beaker. A bigger beaker is better. Fill it up with known amount of water, lets say 500ml. Then check everyday at the same time, lets say every day at 10am in the morning (depending on your school timing). Amount of water missing is the evaporation rate/day. You do not have to disturb the beaker or refill. Just keep noting the amount of water missing every day at 24 hours interval.
The blue light will only be used to check the seeds that are in the dark.
Answer: Please remember, many studies found that seed germination is not affected much by light, while other claim that different species react differently with light. Some studies have also shown that blue light is an inhibitor of germination and root formation in some species. Please remember some seeds remain to be buried in soil (meaning doesnt really need light) to germinate, while others remain to be on the ground surface (meaning they do use the available light) to germinate. Whatever light you use, please keep few things in mind:
1. Use same light for all experimental set up.
2. Try to maintain the light duration constant. Meaning, if you spend 5 minutes making counts and observations on one petridish, then use same amount of time for the all other petridishes.
By keeping a parameter constant you can nullyfy their effect on the seeds.
Please let me know if you didnt understand what I am saying.
Best of luck.
Mr. Kumar, let me tell you our plan now.
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Put paper towels in petri dishes,
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Make the paper towels wet with 10 ml of water
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put 5 Buckwheat seed in a petri dish with gloves on and set it under a lamp
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Set up a blue light lamp and turn the lights off
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Put another 5 seeds in a petri dish with gloves on
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Put the second petri dish in a cupboard
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Put away blue light
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Check on them until one germinates
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When checking on petri dish 2 use blue light with lights off
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When checking on them use a ruler but do not touch the seed
Good morning Everett and thank you for the details.
So if I understand properly you will check seed germination/growth rate in blue light and no light.
Why not add one set of petridish in normal light?
There is a reason for that. Blue light may inhibit seed germination so may be in both dark and blue light seeds may not germinate or will germinate very slowly.
And, I like the baboon!!!
That is what we changed by the way.
Mr. Kumar, let me tell you our plan now.
-
Put paper towels in petri dishes,
-
Make the paper towels wet with 10 ml of water
-
put 5 Buckwheat seed in a petri dish with gloves on and set it under a lamp
-
Set up a blue light lamp and turn the lights off
-
Put another 5 seeds in a petri dish with gloves on
-
Put the second petri dish in a cupboard
-
Put away blue light
-
Check on them until one germinates
-
When checking on petri dish 2 use blue light with lights off
-
When checking on them use a ruler but do not touch the seed
Hi Team - Since you were not able to present to the scientists today, I looked over your presentation board and left a stickynote on your white board with a couple of things to think about. Be sure to take a look at that on Tuesday.
- Mrs. Gray
Thank you!
hi Mr. Kumar we will be doing the question how does the seed being in light or dark affect the germination rate
Great Sam.
Please let me know how you will set up your experiment.
Best of luck.
Thank you for the feedback. I think we might do the germination speed v. light and dark with Buck Wheat. We will put the plants in a wet paper towel in a petri dish. The paper towel will be soaked with 10 ml of water in the beginning. We will put petri dish one in a cupboard and petri dish two in a light. We will check on them every day. If one day one is taller than the other that one germinated first.
Hi Everett
Thank you for the details. Plants are very variable in their growth and in their requirement for environmental parameters. You may need to think about following aspects.
1. How many replicates of each setup and how many seeds in each replicate?
The answer to this is dependent on what kind of analyses you wish to do later to prove your point statistically (if you will do statistically). I suggest minimum replicate of 5 for each set up if you are doing statistically or if you are going to show just on the basis of pictures and/or tables then also atleast same replicate for both. Hence, you may need to keep two in cupboard and two in light. And also, it will be good idea to add equal number of seeds in each replicate.
2. Yes, you can observe two aspects here. First is which seed germinates first and which ones are taller.
Now, you may need to understand, when you take out the petridishes from cupboard then you are exposing them to light. Even short light exposures can enhance seed germination. How will you avoid this? There are studies which show that red light enhance seed germination while blue light inhibit. So I suggest you use a table lamp with a blue light bulb to check seeds from cupboard (if possible in a dark room). Am I asking for too much here?
3. As you want to check the height of seedlings i also suggest use conical flask or properly washed used jam bottles. As, in petridish it wont be easy to check height without constantly touching the seed and seedlings. Touching your seeds and seedlings will hamper the growth.
4. How long are you going to make observations?
Depending on the ambient temperature some growth would be slow. I am in Lubbock and its chilling cold today so if I sept up my experiment here, it may take longer duration for the seed to germinate. If you wish your seedlings to attain good height then you will need longer observation period.
Best of luck.
I think that in the when there is less light then the plant will germinate faster
Hello Sam
That would be interesting. Cna you please also tell me about your experimental setup?
1. Where you will do set up the experiment?
2. How will you control the light?
3. How many replicates for different lighting regime?
Best of luck.
Pankaj
One investigation question could be "How does the amount of water affect the plants growth? Another could be "How does the amount of light affect the plant germination rate?". One more could be "How does the plant being in the dark or light affect the germination speed?".
Sounds great. If you can provide more details about your proposed experimental setup in your research, then it would be more helpful.
For example, if you want to check the effect of amount of water, how will you setup this experiment?
For any experimental setup, there are a few constants, for example if you wish to check the effect of amount of water, then rest of the part of the experimental setup, for example light, soil/media type in which you will sow the seeds, size of the container where you will sow seeds, ambient temperature, the species/variety of seed and seed source etc should be same in all replicates and only the amount of water used will vary.
Hello everyone.
I am Pankaj Kumar, (you can call me Pan, Pankaj, Kumar, or Orchid, all fine for me) originally from India, where I worked on orchids for my PhD and Post Doctoral for nine years in Central India and the Western Himalaya. Then moved to Hong Kong in 2011 to work on South Asian Orchids. In 2022, I came to USA and now I am based at Texas Tech University.
I like all aspects of plant biology and am very keen in conservation of plants. I do botanical drawings, photography, a bit of archery, hiking, bird watching etc.
I would be happy to learn from you all. So please feel free to let me know about your research.
Keep it up.
Best regards
Pankaj
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My name is Everett Mullins. I love sports and nerdy hobbies. I also like hanging out with my friends and family. I am excited to work with Mr. Kumar!!!
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Hi, my name is Logan Ross I love sports, video games, and spending time with my family. My hobbies are playing video games, playing football, and building model kits. I am looking forward to working with you as we learn about the seeds :)!
Hi, my name is Sam and I am excited to work with you. I like lacrosse and football. My favorite activity is playing outside.
Hi My name is Jagger Day. In my free time I love to make quacomole, play with my dog and play sports. My favorite sport is basketball and I also love to play golf. I am very excited to work on this. With Mr. Kumar!!!