Problem:

How can we speed up the growth of a plant? The Goal of this experiment is to find out if heat and cooking will reduce or increase the growth of a plant.

Research:

There are many farms and agriculture centers all over the world today. They all plant raw seeds, which result to all the vegetables, and fruit we eat as food. Yet, when beans are cooked for a few minutes, they may become more fertile because they have already absorbed some water. Heat from cooking may destroy many harmful bacteria resulting in healthier plants also. It may also quicken up the process since it is getting rid of all unwanted material from the crop. To complete this project and to benefit from it, we must do accurate measures and have correct information.

Hypothesis:

When you boil a food, it will get rid of most bacteria and unwanted material. This means that if you cook the beans before planting them, it may speed up the process since there isn't many bacteria and such material to hold back the process of plant growth. In this case, the beans that are cooked more should grow better when planted than those less cooked or not cooked at all.

Material:

For this experiment, we used lentil beans.

Additional materials needed:

• ½ pound of lentil beans
• 7 petri dishes
• Paper towels
• Water for cooking and moistening
• A pot for boiling water
• A spoon for measuring beans
• Labels (A through G)
• Timer or clock

Procedure:

1. Take half a pound of beans and put them in a pot that is 1/3 filled up with water.
2. Take 7 petri dishes and label them with letters A-G.
3. Cut out paper towels just to fit the bottom of the petri dishes.
4. Take a spoon full of beans and put them in sample dish A. This is the sample that isn't cooked at all.
5. Turn on the stove so the water starts to boil.
6. After 5 minutes of boiling, take another spoon full of beans and put them in sample dish B. This is the sample that is cooked for five minutes.
7. At the 10-minute mark, take a spoon full of beans and put them in sample dish C. This is the sample that is boiled for ten minutes.
8. At the 15-minute mark, take a spoon full of beans and put them in sample dish D. This is the sample dish that is cooked for fifteen minutes.
9. At the 20-minute mark, take a spoon full of beans and put them in sample dish E. This is the sample that is cooked for twenty minutes.
10. At the 25-minute mark, put a spoon full of beans in sample dish F. This is the sample that is cooked for twenty-five minutes.
11. At the 30-minute mark, take a spoon full of beans and put them in sample dish G. This is the sample that is boiled for thirty minutes.
12. Take 7 moist paper towels and lay them on top of the samples to keep them moist.
13. Place them next to a window in order for them to receive sunlight.
14. Water them daily to keep them moist for 4-5 days and observe results.

Record And Analyze Data:

Create a data table to record daily observations of each sample (A through G). Note:

• Number of beans that sprout in each dish
• Length of sprouts (in centimeters)
• General health and appearance of plants
• Any signs of decay or mold

Expected Results: Record your observations and compare which cooking time produces the best germination rate and plant growth.