Goals
description
Transcript of Goals
Goals
The Effects of Microgravity &
Light Wavelength on Plant Growth in
the Ardulab
Goals
Hypothesis
Materials
Investigation
Our Plan
Importance
BenefitsGoals
Pic
Pic
Pic
Pic
Pic
Pic
8th Grade 2013-2014 Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
PicPic
The Effects of Microgravity
& Light Wavelength on Plant Growth in
the Ardulab
Hypothesis
Pea shoots and broccoli shoots are going to be exposed to microgravity. The
ArduLab will be separated into two sides with an opaque divider, one with 75%
red LEDs and 25% blue LEDs and the other vice versa. The plants will most
likely demonstrate the most growth on the side with the red super-bright LEDs.
The red lights have the longest wavelength and is bent the least. It also moves
the slowest, so the plant would be able to absorb the light more effectively.
Goals
Our objective is to learn more about the effects of
light wavelength and microgravity on plant growth
through our research and experiment. Our final goal is for
our research to help the advancement of plant growth
and food production for long-duration space flight.
Investigation
Our investigation is to discover which side of blue and red wavelengths will cause broccoli shoots and pea shoots to grow faster in a microgravity environment.
Importance
Our experiment is important for the advancement
of plant growth in space for long-duration space flight.
The ISS is now a national laboratory, and the only
location where it would be logistically possible to
conduct this experiment.
Our PlanWe will put 5 broccoli and 3 pea shoots on each side, separated by an ABS divider. The seeds will be placed in a phytoblend that should allow the plants to thrive without a watering system for the duration of the experiment (30 days). On both sides, the lights will be programmed to be on for 12 hours and off for the other 12 hours. On one side, there will 3 red LEDs and 1 blue LED. On the other side, there will be 1 red LED and 3 blue LEDs. We plan to measure the growth of the shoots with a grid system that is placed and set in 2-mm increments and a tiny camera that will take a picture every 12 hours. We will also be conducting a ground-based replica of this experiment at one of our student’s homes.
Materials
• 4 Red Super-bright LEDs
• 4 Blue Super-bright LEDs
• Wires
• Solder
• Resistors
• 2 Cameras
• 2 Small pieces of Lexan Polycarbonate
• 2 small pieces of mounting tape
• Opaque divider made of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
• Krazyglue All Purpose
• 2- 50 mL plastic containers
• 90 mL of Phytoblend Agar w/nutrients
Benefits
Our data will benefit people all over the world without adequate sunlight by giving them a different option for growing plants. This experiment will assist with crop production in greenhouses by informing people which lights would be the most beneficial in growing plants.
Red/Blue LED Grd
Camera 1 GrdCamera 1 3.3V
Red LEDS(1) PWM
Blue LED(1) PWM
Camera 1RXTX
Camera 2 TX RX
Camera 2 3.3V
Camera 2 Grd
1.5
K1
.0K
1.0K 1.5K
Red LED(3) PWM
Blue LED(3) PWM100
330120
220