Investigative Project
Roni Añasco
Lee Balmaceda
Ian Leonio
Polo Reyes
Ficus stipulosa Miq. Linn (Balete) sap as an alternative material to produce environment friendly cups
Review of Related Literature
Collecting Sap For many years, the means to collect sap was to hang a bucket to the tree, and to wait for the sap to drip out. This process was very slow and ineffective. Later on they started a new method of sap collecting which was attaching a tube to each tree that would all lead to a central station. Scientists then experimented to test if applying a suction to the tubes would increase the rate of sap collection without harming the tree. Sap is produced when the temperatures of the tree start rising. Pressure, or positive pressure, is what causes the tree to start leaking sap through tap holes and wounds. When the temperatures decrease, suction, or negative pressure, develops allowing the tree to take in some water from the roots. Suction is what helps the tree replenish sap. The sap contains sugars, and the sugar is the food of the tree, so by creating and releasing sap, the tree is actually maintaining itself, taking in the right amount, and releasing the right amount of ‘food.’ Because of this balance, both pressure (positive pressure) and suction (negative pressure) are both required to create and release sap, just like how humans and animals inhale, or take in oxygen, and release this in the form of Carbon dioxide by exhaling. If the temperature is unstable, meaning too high or too low, the tree will not be able to maintain its balance for releasing and creating the right amounts of sap. This is related to the proposed experiment, because sap will be used as our independent variable for checking if alternative cups can be made from ‘balete tree’ sap, and if the cups will be able to last long and remain intact.
Collection and Production
Historically, maple has been collected from the year 1540 by native Americans. 17 years later these Native Americans, according to
Lee Balmaceda
Ian Leonio
Polo Reyes
Ficus stipulosa Miq. Linn (Balete) sap as an alternative material to produce environment friendly cups
Review of Related Literature
Collecting Sap For many years, the means to collect sap was to hang a bucket to the tree, and to wait for the sap to drip out. This process was very slow and ineffective. Later on they started a new method of sap collecting which was attaching a tube to each tree that would all lead to a central station. Scientists then experimented to test if applying a suction to the tubes would increase the rate of sap collection without harming the tree. Sap is produced when the temperatures of the tree start rising. Pressure, or positive pressure, is what causes the tree to start leaking sap through tap holes and wounds. When the temperatures decrease, suction, or negative pressure, develops allowing the tree to take in some water from the roots. Suction is what helps the tree replenish sap. The sap contains sugars, and the sugar is the food of the tree, so by creating and releasing sap, the tree is actually maintaining itself, taking in the right amount, and releasing the right amount of ‘food.’ Because of this balance, both pressure (positive pressure) and suction (negative pressure) are both required to create and release sap, just like how humans and animals inhale, or take in oxygen, and release this in the form of Carbon dioxide by exhaling. If the temperature is unstable, meaning too high or too low, the tree will not be able to maintain its balance for releasing and creating the right amounts of sap. This is related to the proposed experiment, because sap will be used as our independent variable for checking if alternative cups can be made from ‘balete tree’ sap, and if the cups will be able to last long and remain intact.
Collection and Production
Historically, maple has been collected from the year 1540 by native Americans. 17 years later these Native Americans, according to