A biology science fair project idea:
Growing smelly fluff!!
Background
This biology science fair project idea is all about that green fluffy stuff that grows on your bread.
Yup – mold!!
Let's do science...
The Experiment
Have you ever thought that disgusting green or black mold growing on your slice of bread – that was going to be your lunch - is actually a living thing? When you take a closer look at mold you will find it quite different to how you think it looks.
Yup, this is one of those biology science fair project ideas that sheds new light on something you have seen many times and don't even think about looking at more closely. Science is all around us... The Aim
To grow mold on bread and see what it looks like close up. Equipment Needed A slice of bread.A seal-able container (even a plastic bag will do).Water.A dark, warm spot – like the back of the cupboard under the sink. WARNING: don't use a food cupboard because if the container has not sealed properly, the rest of the food in the cupboard may end up moldy.Magnifying glass or microscope. Method Place the slice of bread in the container.Dribble some water onto the bread so that it is damp (not swimming – just damp!).Place it in a dark, warm spot.Check it every day for mold. If you see some, look at it closely with a magnifying glass or using the low power on a microscope. Put it back in the dark spot and check it every day for a couple of days.Results
This is what you should see happening:
You will see mold growing on the bread. How soon it appears depends on different conditions. You can take note of when it appears.As it grows, depending on the magnifying glass or microscope you are using, you will see long bits growing on the surface of the bread. Later on you will see stalks growing up and then round balls grow on top of the stalks. These balls contain hundreds of spores which burst out into the air. If one of these spores lands on food, it will start growing. That is how your bread mold started to grow.The Conclusion
Mold is living and can make more mold.
To add to your knowledge, do some research to find out the proper terms for the different parts of mold that you see under the magnifying glass.
Click here to go to the project that links to this biology science fair project idea.
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