Decomposition
Speed of Decomposition and Its Factors
Purpose The term decomposition is the process of breaking down dead organisms to reuse them. Decomposition allows nutrients in organisms to become free after they die or have become old and they are ready to be used by living plants and animals for their growth. Without decomposition useful nutrients would remain locked inside of a dead organism and it would be very difficult for new life to grow. Most of the nutrients that are essential for the plants we get our food from are the result of decomposition. This makes decomposition necessary for new life to flourish. Without decomposition life would practically cease to exist after one cycle. In this case decomposition is very necessary for the life of a farmer. The project determines which type of environment makes vegetables decompose the fastest. Which is important because some people decompose things for a living to help the environment and if they knew the type of atmosphere that would speed up the process then it would get done a lot quicker. Decomposition is used by many people and for all different reasons. This project specifically focuses on the decomposition of vegetable which people would use to help fertilize plants.
Procedure
1. Cut a slice of tomato, onion, squash, zucchini, and red bell pepper.
2. Place vegetables on a Styrofoam plate
3. Weigh the starting time of the vegetables
4. Set plate of vegetables outside in an area with light
5. Cut another slice of tomato, onion, squash, zucchini, and red bell pepper.
6. Place on Styrofoam plate and weigh
7. Put in dark, humid room
8. Weigh the plate of vegetables every 5 days
9. record changes on paper
10. make graph
Date | Outside in sunlight weight | Inside dark weight | 12/21/12 | 171 grams | 154 grams | 12/26/12 | 54 grams | 96 grams | 12/31/12 | 25 grams | 53 grams | 1/5/13 | 20 grams | 26 grams | 1/10/13 | 20 grams | 23 grams | 1/15/13 | 20 grams | 20 grams | 1/20/13 | 19
Purpose The term decomposition is the process of breaking down dead organisms to reuse them. Decomposition allows nutrients in organisms to become free after they die or have become old and they are ready to be used by living plants and animals for their growth. Without decomposition useful nutrients would remain locked inside of a dead organism and it would be very difficult for new life to grow. Most of the nutrients that are essential for the plants we get our food from are the result of decomposition. This makes decomposition necessary for new life to flourish. Without decomposition life would practically cease to exist after one cycle. In this case decomposition is very necessary for the life of a farmer. The project determines which type of environment makes vegetables decompose the fastest. Which is important because some people decompose things for a living to help the environment and if they knew the type of atmosphere that would speed up the process then it would get done a lot quicker. Decomposition is used by many people and for all different reasons. This project specifically focuses on the decomposition of vegetable which people would use to help fertilize plants.
Procedure
1. Cut a slice of tomato, onion, squash, zucchini, and red bell pepper.
2. Place vegetables on a Styrofoam plate
3. Weigh the starting time of the vegetables
4. Set plate of vegetables outside in an area with light
5. Cut another slice of tomato, onion, squash, zucchini, and red bell pepper.
6. Place on Styrofoam plate and weigh
7. Put in dark, humid room
8. Weigh the plate of vegetables every 5 days
9. record changes on paper
10. make graph
Date | Outside in sunlight weight | Inside dark weight | 12/21/12 | 171 grams | 154 grams | 12/26/12 | 54 grams | 96 grams | 12/31/12 | 25 grams | 53 grams | 1/5/13 | 20 grams | 26 grams | 1/10/13 | 20 grams | 23 grams | 1/15/13 | 20 grams | 20 grams | 1/20/13 | 19
References: http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/decompos.htm