Transcript Experimental Design with plantsx

Experimental
Design
GROWING PLANTS
What factors will influence plant growth?
Practice experiment online

A horticulturist (plant scientist) complains to the city that a nearby residence is
ruining his flowers because of the detergent being used to wash their cars. The soap
runs into a stream that goes near his flower beds. As an inquiring scientist, you want
to find out whether soap can affect flower growth. HOW do you set up experiment?

Biology corner online plant experiment
Plant growth and microwaved water
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http://rense.com/general70/microwaved.htm
Was this a valid scientific experiment
with microwaved water??
 What
was good about experiment?
 What
were flaws in experiment?
Controlled experiment
 Where
everything in experiment is the
same for all set ups EXCEPT one
variable

Controlled plant experiment You tube. 2.5 mins
A student wanted to study the effect of fertilizer on plant
growth, so she took two of the same type plants and set them on
a window sill for a four week observation period. She watered
one with 20 ml of water with fertilizer added and the other with
40 ml of plain water. She collected data every day by counting
the total number of new leaves on each plant and also
measured the height of each plant in centimeters.

Which of the following is the most significant flaw in this experimental set-up?
A)
There is no variable factor
B)
The plants are the same
C)
The observation period is too long
D)
There are too many variables in experiment
E)
Fertilizer should not be added to water
F)
She is measuring too many things each day.
Real life example:
LED Lights in Deep Space Missions

Testing how radishes grow under LED light
compared to other light.

Why would this be useful for space missions?
What will you choose to
experiment on?

Different color light?
- Amount of light?
-Amount of fertilizer?
Something Else??

Taken from Dr Richard Walding, senior research project, Griffith University, Australia
End of class presentation