Respond to the following topic relating to this lesson using the Discussion Board feature of Lincoln Interactive. Each student is required to post a detailed response to the issue below, as well as respond to a least two other postings. These responses are designed as constructive criticism to other’s work, and will be monitored by the instructor. This assignment is worth 5 points. 

 

The scientific method provides researchers and scientists with a universal framework of discovery. For this assignment, design a quantitative experiment that tests a stated hypothesis that you create. Follow the steps of the scientific method concisely to clearly describe your plan in a way that expresses your understanding of the scientific method. After you post your response, don’t forget to respond to two other students with constructive criticism.

 

Define/Identify the problem:

Inquiry 1 – Where is the best place to sow seeds?

Inquiry 2 – Where is the best place for the average person to sow sweet peas (an annual flower) in the beginning of fall?

 

Background Research/Literature Review

 

Observation: People sow sweet peas in a few different places, indoors with artificial light, indoors with sunlight (on a windowsill), and outdoors with sunlight (sometimes the seeds are sown directly into their garden).

 

Question: For the average person, will sweet peas germinated indoors with artificial light, indoors with sunlight, or outdoors with sunlight grow the most healthfully?

 

Hypotheses: Sweet peas started indoors with artificial sunlight will grow the more healthfully than those started indoors with sunlight and those started outdoors with sunlight because they will be growing in conditions regulated to best suit their 3 basic needs, light, water, and soil, by being kept at a relatively constant humidity, temperature, and amount of light.

Sweet peas started outdoors with sunlight will grow the most healthfully because they will be growing in conditions plants are naturally suited to grow in – outdoors, having a natural and very powerful source of light – the sun, and varying levels of humidity and temperature.

 

Sweet peas started indoors with sunlight will grow the most healthfully because they will have sunlight – plants’ natural source of light, in addition to stable temperature and humidity levels.

 

Prediction: If my hypothesis that sweet peas started indoors with artificial light will grow the most healthfully because of their stable, regulated growing conditions is true, and if I plant seeds indoors with artificial light, indoors with sunlight, and outdoors with sunlight, then the seeds planted indoors with artificial light should grow the most healthfully.

 

Experiment: Plant sweet pea seeds in sterilized potting mix in the cells of three nursery flats. Place each flat in a different location: one indoors with artificial light (two four-foot industrial fluorescent bulbs), one indoors with sunlight (on a windowsill), and one outdoors with sunlight (under a plastic wrap tent to keep off rain while allowing full sun through). Keep the cells of each flat similarly moist using a spray bottle. Record categories listed under observations/data.

Control groups – One group of sweet peas will be germinated in a flat outdoors under sunlight, the other will be grown indoors next to the window.

Experimental group – These sweet peas will be germinated in a flat indoors under artificial light.

Replication – Several seeds will be planted in each group. (From 3 to 24)

 

Testing:

 

Observations/Data (quantitative measurements indicating health):

Health:

1.     Stoutness (width of stem measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

2.     Entirely deep green (area of non deep green measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

3.     Non-wilting (area of wilted leaves measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

4.     No diseases (yes or no and severity measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

 

General Observations:

1.     Time to germinate (measured hourly)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

2.     Time to develop two sets of leaves (measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

3.     Straightness of stem (curve measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

4.     Water given (measured daily in sprays, each spray containing _ )

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

5.     Hours of light (measured daily)

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

6.     Humidity

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

7.     Temperature of soil

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

8.     Temperature of air

a.     Outdoors-

b.     Indoors next to window-

c.     Indoors under fluorescent light-

 

Analyze Data/Observations:

 

Do experiments and observations support hypothesis?

No  Faulty Experiments? Design new experiments. / Faulty hypothesis?

Yes  Continue through steps.

 

Conclusion:

 

Communicate Results: