Experiment 3 for the biology science project - There something green on my bread!
Say no to mold! - Temperature
Background
To help you understand this biology science project experiment, image you were in your swimming costume and were packed into a big box filled with ice. Do you think you would be able to function very well?
How about being in a sauna where the temperature is hitting around 50 degrees celcius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). Not the most comfortable spot to be in!
From these examples you can sort of understand why growth and functioning of a living organism can be affected by temperature! Not so?
Let's do science...
The Experiment
Mold grows best at a nice comfortable temperature (between 25 and 40 degrees celcius). What would happen if you were to change those ideal conditions? This biology science project experiment will answer this question.
The Aim
To see if the growth of mold is affected by increased or decreased temperatures.
Equipment Needed
Moldy bread (check out the
Growing smelly fluff!!
experiment to find out how to get moldy bread.)
Fresh bread (at least 3 slices).
A vacuum sealer.
3 seal-able containers.
A fridge.
A sunny, hot spot (such as a windowsill in direct sunlight).
Method
Each of the 3 containers will have a slice of bread in it, one slice will be the control at room temperature, the other two will be hotter and colder respectively.
Take the 3 slices of bread and shake, only once, the moldy bread over them. WARNING: do this in a well ventilated place and do not breathe in too deeply.
Place one of the pieces of bread in a container and seal it. This is your control.
Place the other piece in another container and seal it, then place it into a fridge. (To make it a bit more interesting, you could place another piece into a freezer.)
Place the third piece into another container and keep it in direct sunlight as much as possible. It would obviously be ideal to have it in an oven of some sort at a constant high temperature, but this would use a lot of energy and I don't think your parents would be too happy when they got the bill at the end of the month!!)
Check them every day and make note of any changes that take place.
Results
This is what you should see happening:
The control bread would grow mold, whereas the bread at higher and lower temperatures would more than likely get mold on them, but it would take a lot longer.
The Conclusion
By changing the ideal temperature at which food (in this case bread) is stored, the growth of mold is slowed down.
Back to the biology science project for this experiment.
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