ok...
i think i'll be planting the plants in not pots, but... soft drink bottles- the big ones.
i got the idea off this site:
http://www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/2009/04/make-your-own-upside-down-tomato.html
and also, nearly all the results that come up on google when i type in something along the lines of 'upside down plant growing', are tomato related, so i'll research a bit more about tomatoes to see if it's a good candidate for my experiment.
things to consider:
- season it grows best in- im sure there's a proper word for this...
- how long it will take to grow
- a bit more bout how roots and leaves and stuff are meant to look like to compare it to both my plants (upside down and right side up)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
ok, i wanna be a good girl and keep my blog SLIGHTLY updated- better than nothing, right?
anyway, i researched a bit about growing plants upside down and i didnt get very scientific results... i wasnt exactly expecting to, but whatever.
ok, a lot of gardening stuff came up, and apparently updide down plant growing is good especially for fruit, for a number of reasons, including:
1. its useful for when you water the plants (i dont even know why this is a reason- u dont have to bend for a hose)
2. the fruit such as tomatoes dont touch the floor when they are big.
3. its harder for pests to get to it (not sure about this one)
4. weeds (this too)
damn. now that ive finally put it all 2gether, and expressed my opinions, i now have to research even more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hate srp (will b my new signature- how great is that?!)
anyway, i researched a bit about growing plants upside down and i didnt get very scientific results... i wasnt exactly expecting to, but whatever.
ok, a lot of gardening stuff came up, and apparently updide down plant growing is good especially for fruit, for a number of reasons, including:
1. its useful for when you water the plants (i dont even know why this is a reason- u dont have to bend for a hose)
2. the fruit such as tomatoes dont touch the floor when they are big.
3. its harder for pests to get to it (not sure about this one)
4. weeds (this too)
damn. now that ive finally put it all 2gether, and expressed my opinions, i now have to research even more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hate srp (will b my new signature- how great is that?!)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
THIS IS THE BLOG ENTRY.
ok... i've finally chosen to do 'the effect gravity has on plant roots and plant growth'. wow- it sounds so pro when i give it a proper name. i chose it because it's probably the most 'long-term' out of my final choices.
ok- this is how my thing will be done: (btw, this is only a summarised- completely accurate version of my method to come)
1. finding a plant that will grow efficiently, and isn't too weird. common's ok, maybe a simple flower. not something TOO heavy, like a cucumber tree (is there such thing?) as all the cucumbers will weigh my luverly plant down, destroying all my observations of roots, other leaves etc, thus destroying my experiment.
2. reading the weather forecast to find a good time to plant my luverly seeds- i dont want it to flash flood in my luverly soil and destroy my experiment.
3. looking after (monitoring XD) all my luverly variables:
controlled: same type of plant- seeds, how many of them, same type of soil, position in graden (how much shade/sunlight recieved), how much water received, at what stage in the plant's development i turn the plant upside down
independent: turning plant/s upside down, leaving other plant/s standing upright.
dependent: how the plant roots, leaves, and any other part of the plant will be effected by gravity (the turning upside down of the plant. Is there a better way to say turning upside down of?)
failing to control variables will result in the destruction of my experiment!!!
4. learn how to re-pot plants- i MIGHT have to do it when turning it upside down. either that or growing it in a upside down turnable? pot in the first place.
5. After a certain period of time, i will observe any changes to both plants and also any differences in the two plants. I will the RECORD RESULTS. If I don't do these steps, my experiment will be destroyed!!!
ok... my mum's threatening to turn off the internet now. i have to hurry and learn how do a print screen- that may take a while. technology hates me. too bad i love it.
ok... i've finally chosen to do 'the effect gravity has on plant roots and plant growth'. wow- it sounds so pro when i give it a proper name. i chose it because it's probably the most 'long-term' out of my final choices.
ok- this is how my thing will be done: (btw, this is only a summarised- completely accurate version of my method to come)
1. finding a plant that will grow efficiently, and isn't too weird. common's ok, maybe a simple flower. not something TOO heavy, like a cucumber tree (is there such thing?) as all the cucumbers will weigh my luverly plant down, destroying all my observations of roots, other leaves etc, thus destroying my experiment.
2. reading the weather forecast to find a good time to plant my luverly seeds- i dont want it to flash flood in my luverly soil and destroy my experiment.
3. looking after (monitoring XD) all my luverly variables:
controlled: same type of plant- seeds, how many of them, same type of soil, position in graden (how much shade/sunlight recieved), how much water received, at what stage in the plant's development i turn the plant upside down
independent: turning plant/s upside down, leaving other plant/s standing upright.
dependent: how the plant roots, leaves, and any other part of the plant will be effected by gravity (the turning upside down of the plant. Is there a better way to say turning upside down of?)
failing to control variables will result in the destruction of my experiment!!!
4. learn how to re-pot plants- i MIGHT have to do it when turning it upside down. either that or growing it in a upside down turnable? pot in the first place.
5. After a certain period of time, i will observe any changes to both plants and also any differences in the two plants. I will the RECORD RESULTS. If I don't do these steps, my experiment will be destroyed!!!
ok... my mum's threatening to turn off the internet now. i have to hurry and learn how do a print screen- that may take a while. technology hates me. too bad i love it.
ok...
cancelled out some more possible options (see below), and am now left with these:
- gravity-plant-upside down-thing
- egg-buoyancy-density-water-add-salt-vinegar-etc
- effect-heat-on-rubber
which one?!!!!!!!!!
ok: this is the conversation leading up to me cancelling out the option for observing-heartrate-boy-girl one:
me: i don't really think it'll work
mum: yeah, but you dont have to do your own age group, you can do sasa's (my sister,5) and nana's (my boy cousin, 7?) age group.
me: but little kids arent good for experiment. they never have a resting heartrate!!!!
mum: well, thats true!
me: well, i could do old, people, like you...
mum *offended*
mum: that's it, im not taking part.
lovely. i now have no candidates for that experiment. thank you shirley zhao for suggesting i make a brochure for guys to volunteer- but i would sound super desperate :(
cancelled out some more possible options (see below), and am now left with these:
- gravity-plant-upside down-thing
- egg-buoyancy-density-water-add-salt-vinegar-etc
- effect-heat-on-rubber
which one?!!!!!!!!!
ok: this is the conversation leading up to me cancelling out the option for observing-heartrate-boy-girl one:
me: i don't really think it'll work
mum: yeah, but you dont have to do your own age group, you can do sasa's (my sister,5) and nana's (my boy cousin, 7?) age group.
me: but little kids arent good for experiment. they never have a resting heartrate!!!!
mum: well, thats true!
me: well, i could do old, people, like you...
mum *offended*
mum: that's it, im not taking part.
lovely. i now have no candidates for that experiment. thank you shirley zhao for suggesting i make a brochure for guys to volunteer- but i would sound super desperate :(
Omg! soo stressed- cant decide which one to choose!!! i'm allowed to change my idea even after i submit the first blog, rite? as long as i let miss (hi ms zhang!) know? ok...
i cant decide between:
1. the effect gravity has on plant roots. This will be done by turning the plant upside down at a certain stage (early, but not too early) of its development.
2. Observing egg buoyancy in different densities of water by adding salt etc.
3. Observing heart rates of boys and girls (in same age group) to find out if there is a difference.
4. The effect heat has on rubber bands of different densities and original elasticities- see choices for methods below)
5. How well soil with different salinity levels conduct electricity, by adding table salt and using something metal a certain distance apart in the soil to measure how well it conducts. (this one sounds kind of hard)
Well, there are my final choices- i haven't exactly narrowed them down a lot, have i? anyway, the independent and dependent variables are listed under each heading below.
i cant decide between:
1. the effect gravity has on plant roots. This will be done by turning the plant upside down at a certain stage (early, but not too early) of its development.
2. Observing egg buoyancy in different densities of water by adding salt etc.
3. Observing heart rates of boys and girls (in same age group) to find out if there is a difference.
4. The effect heat has on rubber bands of different densities and original elasticities- see choices for methods below)
5. How well soil with different salinity levels conduct electricity, by adding table salt and using something metal a certain distance apart in the soil to measure how well it conducts. (this one sounds kind of hard)
Well, there are my final choices- i haven't exactly narrowed them down a lot, have i? anyway, the independent and dependent variables are listed under each heading below.
ok...
i didnt find that egg one from yesterday, but i think one's pretty good:
-using eggs to observe the effect coke, vinegar, orange juice etc has on teeth. apparantly teeth and eggshells have the same calcium salts, and the effect acids have on them are similar.
controlled variables: amount of liquid in each, same container, the same amount of time, same type(size, weight) of egg.
independent: the kind of substance the egg will sit in.
dependent: the effect it has on the egg.
i didnt find that egg one from yesterday, but i think one's pretty good:
-using eggs to observe the effect coke, vinegar, orange juice etc has on teeth. apparantly teeth and eggshells have the same calcium salts, and the effect acids have on them are similar.
controlled variables: amount of liquid in each, same container, the same amount of time, same type(size, weight) of egg.
independent: the kind of substance the egg will sit in.
dependent: the effect it has on the egg.
ok, some more ok-ish ideas:
1. investigating heart rate (resting) in girls and boys of similar age group.
independant variable: girl or boy
dependant variable: difference in the heart rates
this experiment will be fun and is a good one to do, but i have a limited access to guys!!! how sad is that?!!! i cant exactly go up to randoms on the bus (pauline, shirley :P) and ask to test their heart rate. it wont exactly be resting anyways, will it?
2. testing the effect of heat on rubber. I think i can do this by testing the elasticity of different kinds of rubber bands, before and after they have been heated. I'm not sure how i'll do this, but i' have 2 options:
a) attaching band to something sturdy e.g. a hook on a wall/dooorknob that wont move, then stretching it till it breaks, measuring the elasticity by working out how far back i had to pull the rubber band for it to break.
independent: whether the band is heated or not
dependent: how far back (how much it stretches) it takes for the band to break.
b) using a sort of weight and seeing how much it contracts/stretches when heated, probably with a hairdryer (cant think of anything else to safely heat it with without removing it)
3. finding the best place on your body to test your heart rate- pulse. i have a stetheoscope my dad might let me use :) let me ask...ok, he said i can use the crappy one. i dont think i'll do this idea. i kind of already know the answer and i dont think itll work out.
independent: parts of body i will test pulse on.
dependent: how well i can feel pulse on different parts of body
4. testing how well soil conducts electricity and whether increased salinity changes this.
independent variable: salinity in soil, just using table salt.
dependent: how well soil with different salinity levels conducts electricity
5. i found another fairly good egg one yesterday, after i shut down this computer and did a bit more research on the lenovo. cant remember what it was...
1. investigating heart rate (resting) in girls and boys of similar age group.
independant variable: girl or boy
dependant variable: difference in the heart rates
this experiment will be fun and is a good one to do, but i have a limited access to guys!!! how sad is that?!!! i cant exactly go up to randoms on the bus (pauline, shirley :P) and ask to test their heart rate. it wont exactly be resting anyways, will it?
2. testing the effect of heat on rubber. I think i can do this by testing the elasticity of different kinds of rubber bands, before and after they have been heated. I'm not sure how i'll do this, but i' have 2 options:
a) attaching band to something sturdy e.g. a hook on a wall/dooorknob that wont move, then stretching it till it breaks, measuring the elasticity by working out how far back i had to pull the rubber band for it to break.
independent: whether the band is heated or not
dependent: how far back (how much it stretches) it takes for the band to break.
b) using a sort of weight and seeing how much it contracts/stretches when heated, probably with a hairdryer (cant think of anything else to safely heat it with without removing it)
3. finding the best place on your body to test your heart rate- pulse. i have a stetheoscope my dad might let me use :) let me ask...ok, he said i can use the crappy one. i dont think i'll do this idea. i kind of already know the answer and i dont think itll work out.
independent: parts of body i will test pulse on.
dependent: how well i can feel pulse on different parts of body
4. testing how well soil conducts electricity and whether increased salinity changes this.
independent variable: salinity in soil, just using table salt.
dependent: how well soil with different salinity levels conducts electricity
5. i found another fairly good egg one yesterday, after i shut down this computer and did a bit more research on the lenovo. cant remember what it was...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
OMG. i just realised, that we need to do all that independent/dependant variable thing for our ideas, so here they are:
plant root thingo:
independent variable: the turning upside down of plants at a certain stage- what time in its puny plant life, or not so puny.., the amount of seeds used to grow, type of plant used
dependent: how the plant will grow- roots spreading outward, smaller than usual, any effects on plant
umm, what else did i suggest? oh the egg thing
i think i already did them though...
meh, cant be bothered checking if i did, so just in case:
independent: how much water, what size and type of egg, how much salt and other substances used, same glass/container
dependent: how much the egg will float/sink.
k, next is the hand ice one:
controlled: how much ice, freezer temperature, how much water, same bowl/container used each time, similar weather conditions, same shoelaces tied,
independent: what type of substace used to put my hand in each time, when to take my hand out, and more will come when i perfect this experiment if i actually do it.
dependent: how well the substance will insulate the heat, altering (or not) the ability to perform tasks such as tying shoelaces, and how long it will take to regain feeling (if lost)
ok, i seriously cant be bothered to do the taste/colour one, coz
1. i need to think, and my brain hurts
2. it's WAY past my bedtime- we have a science test 2morrow
3. im probably not going to do the experiment anyhow coz all the people i noe who are available for subjects all eat food that have wonkitated colours already- e.g. my whole family eats artificially flavoured aldi iceblocks that are electric blue, hot pink and highlighter yellow.
so... yeh
thats all for today
will come up with other (hopefully better) ideas later.
plant root thingo:
independent variable: the turning upside down of plants at a certain stage- what time in its puny plant life, or not so puny.., the amount of seeds used to grow, type of plant used
dependent: how the plant will grow- roots spreading outward, smaller than usual, any effects on plant
umm, what else did i suggest? oh the egg thing
i think i already did them though...
meh, cant be bothered checking if i did, so just in case:
independent: how much water, what size and type of egg, how much salt and other substances used, same glass/container
dependent: how much the egg will float/sink.
k, next is the hand ice one:
controlled: how much ice, freezer temperature, how much water, same bowl/container used each time, similar weather conditions, same shoelaces tied,
independent: what type of substace used to put my hand in each time, when to take my hand out, and more will come when i perfect this experiment if i actually do it.
dependent: how well the substance will insulate the heat, altering (or not) the ability to perform tasks such as tying shoelaces, and how long it will take to regain feeling (if lost)
ok, i seriously cant be bothered to do the taste/colour one, coz
1. i need to think, and my brain hurts
2. it's WAY past my bedtime- we have a science test 2morrow
3. im probably not going to do the experiment anyhow coz all the people i noe who are available for subjects all eat food that have wonkitated colours already- e.g. my whole family eats artificially flavoured aldi iceblocks that are electric blue, hot pink and highlighter yellow.
so... yeh
thats all for today
will come up with other (hopefully better) ideas later.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
i LOOVE this site:
hope it helps!
http://www.scienceproject.com/projects/index/Senior/biology.asp
and this:
all-science-fair-projects.com/category40.html
and this:
all-science-fair-projects.com/category40.html
hope it helps!
anyway, i found an EGG site:
http://www.scienceproject.com/projects/intro/elementary/EP003.asp
yeh... i might do that
it's like, making an egg float by changing the water density.
yay! on the site it said something about it only taking a couple of days
but im gunna be a good science kid and have lots of variables :)
so ill change egg size, amount of water, all that stuff and see if it makes a difference.
im not entirely sure im gunna do this experiment though.
http://www.scienceproject.com/projects/intro/elementary/EP003.asp
yeh... i might do that
it's like, making an egg float by changing the water density.
yay! on the site it said something about it only taking a couple of days
but im gunna be a good science kid and have lots of variables :)
so ill change egg size, amount of water, all that stuff and see if it makes a difference.
im not entirely sure im gunna do this experiment though.
OMGG! I've been looking up so many science experiment thingo's...
i had a few options:
1. observe the effect of gravity on plant roots by growing it upside down
2. see human reactions to weird colour/taste combinations
3. see which kind of material insulates heat the best by putting your hand in ice water with different things over it e.g. rubber glove, cotton glove, cling wrap etc...
i havent decided yet. i can see flaws in each experiment, so im not sure...
im still looking.
there are soo many sites dedicated to science experiments for kids. gawsh...
the csiro website was pretty helpful, and gave me some other ideas, but theyre not really long term or appropriate.
maybe something with eggs?
i had a few options:
1. observe the effect of gravity on plant roots by growing it upside down
2. see human reactions to weird colour/taste combinations
3. see which kind of material insulates heat the best by putting your hand in ice water with different things over it e.g. rubber glove, cotton glove, cling wrap etc...
i havent decided yet. i can see flaws in each experiment, so im not sure...
im still looking.
there are soo many sites dedicated to science experiments for kids. gawsh...
the csiro website was pretty helpful, and gave me some other ideas, but theyre not really long term or appropriate.
maybe something with eggs?
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