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Hypothesis
We then had to do the steps of the scientific method. The second step is the hypothesis. I believe that the orange will decompose the most. I believe that the rest will decompose like this.
Orange 85%
Apple 70%
Paper 50%
Cup 45%
Cotton 40%
Sunchips Bag 35%
Regular Chips Bag 10%
Foil 5%
Regular Chips Bag 2% -
Problem
How much do these items decompose? -
Procedures
We had eight groups each one had one of the items. We went outside to a marked area we dug 8 holes each one about 4 in. deep. We placed the items at the bottom of the hole. We then covered them back up and patted down the surface. -
Dig Preperation
This is when we first learned that we are going to be doing this project. Mrs.Maxey laid some materials out on the table like rod iron,dirty shovel,and 8 wooden stakes. She also laid out 8 food,plastic,and other materials. These are the items she laid out.
Newspaper
Orange
Apple
Foil
Styrofoam
Cotton Fabric
Sun Chips Bag
Regular Chips Bag -
Materials and Equipment
We used rod iron,hammer,do not cross tape,and 8 wooden stakes
Newspaper
Orange
Apple
Foil
Styrofoam
Cotton Fabric
Sun Chips Bag
Regular Chips Bag
dirty shovel,and 8 wooden stakes. -
Ideal Conditions for Decomposing
The ideal conditions would be hot and humid weather. Cold weather only slows the process. If a substance is acidic it will decompose more than non acidic items. Such as an orange. Our temp. has been pretty cold so we will not get to see how much an item can really decompose. -
Decomposition Dig Day
This is the day that we dug holes and put the items inside. -
Styrofoam Cup
One way to reuse styrofoam cups is to use them for som of your craft projects.
Reuse Packing Peanuts
When something is shipped to you in a box full of packing peanuts, save them and reuse them for your next shipping. The polystyrene peanuts provide cushioning for valuable items like picture frames and DVDs. Pin Cushion
A small square of polystyrene makes the perfect pin cushion for avid sewers. Choose any type of fabric that you wish to cover a polystyrene cube, and sow around the edges. -
Weather Jan.14-19
The average weather was 42 degrees. It was preety windy with an average 20 mph wind. -
Aluminum Foil
Ways to recycle it.
ARTS & CRAFTS WITH ALUMINUM FOIL
•Use old foil to make greeting cards, placemats, picture frames, or wrapping paper.
•Use cardboard and some foil to make the star for your Christmas tree, or cut out smaller shapes and make them into ornaments.
•Let your kids use old foil to make pretend jewelry and hats or create costumes for halloween or a dress up day.
•Use aluminum foil instead of clay to make a model for a school project or rainy day fun for your kids. -
Sun Chips Bag
The new Sun Cips bag is more composable and less noisy. It makes great compost pile. It makes very fertile soil. -
Weather Jan.24-Jan.29
The average temperature was 58 degrees. Mostly Cloudy with showers and strong winds. -
Regular Chips Bag
Plastic will never go away it will just keep getting smaller and smaller.
There is a company called TerraCycle that specializes in turning post-consumer waste, such as snack bags, into brand new products. Just clean your bags well with soapy water and mail them to the company. -
Weather Jan.30-Feb.5
The average temperature was 25 degrees with 2 big snowstorms. -
Apple
It’s pure, it’s natural and it’s even kosher. The USDA has dropped the organic seal of approval (which isn’t as common as one might think), and it can serve as a multi-purpose tool for health and cleanliness. It’s Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar — unfiltered, unpasteurized, unheated and containing five percent acidity. -
Weather Feb.6-Feb.12
The average temperture was 41 degrees. Another cold day at 18 degrees dropped some snow. -
Paper
Recycle all white office paper (usually from laser printers or copiers) together. Be sure to remove the wrappers they come in. These are a lower grade of paper and cannot be recycled with the white office paper and should be recycled with mixed-color paper.
Take newspapers, and place them in brown bags, which can be recycled with newspapers, or tie them in bundles with twine (a natural fiber). Colored advertising inserts can also be recycled with newspapers. Be sure to remove rubber bands, -
Weather Feb.13-Feb.19
The average temperature was 73 degrees. It was cloudy a lot of the time with many little rain showers. -
Cotton
Take your old cotton t-shirts cut them up and make them wiping rags. Since cotton is a textile it is not considered recycling it is considered reusing. -
Weather Feb.20- Feb.25
The average temperature was 64 degrees.This week it was still preety cloudy. With some more showers. -
Orange
I think that this will decompose the most because of the acid in the orange.
Drop orange peels and lemon slices in the kitchen sink's food waste disposer unit. The citrus oils from the torn-up skins will give the waste disposer a quick cleaning and citrusy smell. Simmer cut-up citrus peels in a small pan. Add cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to give your house the fragrance of sweet home cooking. Multitask by doing this with a pan that you want to clean; -
Weather Feb.26-Mar.4
Average tmperature was 62 degrees with some more sunchine in the clouds. This was the first that we got to go play baseball outside. -
Regular Chips Bag
I thought that the bag would decompose 0% and I was right the bag seemed to have done nothing at all. Plastic takes about 500 million years to decompose to a small piece but it will never go away. Nine weeks didnt do much to the bag. -
Cotton
I thought that cotton would have decomposed a lot more than it did.I predicted about 40%but it was actually about 2 or 3%. It still had a very white color which was very suprising to me. -
Orange
This orange I got right on the spot I predicted 85% of decomposition. This had a lot of mold and other very gross things on it. When we put it in the whole it looked good but now I dont even want to look at it. I believe that the acid in the orange helped its decomposiontion. -
Apple
This apple really decomposed a lot about 60%. I again predicted this preety close. I guesssed about 70%. It too was very rotten with a lot of mold. -
Styrofoam
The styrofoam didnt take a big hit it was only ripped apart in a few pieces. I didn't see any decomposition at all. I thought that it would decompose about 10% but overall strofoam is preety tough. -
Paper
This paper proved to be preety tough. I thought it would decompose about 70% percent. It actually composed about 40%. Paper decomposes best in hot humid weather so I might have been right had this been in the summer. -
Foil
I got this foil right on the money! I thought that since it was preety rough it would hold up against the conditions. -
Sun Chips Bag
This ag said on the back that in 9 weeks it would be half-way decomposed but it did not decompose at all. I thought it would decompose about 40%. I was nowhere close it hardly even crumbled up.
