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Problem
How much will each item decompose? -
Hypothsis
I believe the Sun Chips bag will decompose the most.
1. Sun chips bag- 99%
2. Apple- 90%
3. Paper- 86%
4. Orange- 80%
5. Regular chips bag- 75%
6. Foil- 67%
7. Stryaphome- 50%
8. Cotton Fabric- 46% -
Materials and Equipment
Our materials that we used were the apple, paper, cotton fabric, regular chips bag, Sun Chips bag, aluminum foil, and styrofoam. To bury the items we used a shovel, Caution tape, and wooden stakes to label each item. -
Procedures
Here are the steps that we took:
1. We set up warning tape so people would know its a science experiment
2. We dug 8 holes with labeled wooden stakes so we knew where everything was.
3. We buried each item in the correct holes.
4. We put the dirt back over the holes. -
Period: to
Decomp Dig
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Dig Day
Today we buried styrofoam, aluminum foil, Sun Chips bag, regular chips bag, apple, paper, cotton, and an orange. We put stakes in the ground so we would know where we buried each item, Then we got Do Not Cross tape to mark off the area so no one would mess with the experiment . In about eight weeks we will go and dig them up to see how much each item has decomposed. -
Weather Data for January 6th, 7th, and 8th
Temperatures went from twenty-six degrees fahrenheit to sixty- one degrees fahrenhiet. The wind chill went fromeight degrees fahrenhiet to thirty-six degrees fahrienhiet. The wind speed went from eight miles per hour to thirty miles per hour. -
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is mostly uneconomical to recycle or otherwise process environmentally unless in massive quantities, and can be lethal to any bird or sea creature that swallows significant quantities.
Finding ways to recycle styrofoam at home, without waiting for "the government" to come up with a solution, is practical and possibly necessary for the health of the biosphere. -
Weather data for the week of Jan. 9th- Jan. 15th
The temperature varied from 15 degrees to 34 degrees. The wind speed went from blowing 4 miles per hour to 29 miles per hour. The wind chill dropped down to 4 degrees and up to 29 degrees. -
Aluminum Foil
Some aluminium foil products can be recycled at around 5% of the original energy cost, although many aluminium laminates are not recycled due to difficulties in separating the components and low yield of aluminium metal.Aluminum's highly recyclable. Recycled aluminum foil uses 95% less energy to produce than foil made from virgin aluminum. -
Weather data for the week of Jan. 16th- Jan. 22nd
The temperasture varied from 16 degrees to 43 degrees. The wind speed blew from 5 miles per hour to 21 miles per hour. The wimd chill dropped down to 9 degrees then rose up to 27 degrees. -
Weather data for week of Jan. 23rd- Jan. 29th
The temperature averaged at about 40 degrees. The winds speed stayed low aaround 9 miles per hour. the wind chilll was around 30 degrees. -
Sun Chips Bag
In April 2009, Frito Lay introduced compostable packaging for the SunChips product line. It is the first 100% compostable chip bag. The bag is made of plant-based material. It will break down within 14 weeks in a hot, active compost pile.
In October 2010, Frito Lay stated that the compostable package will be pulled back in the United States. The bag created excessive noise, which prompted Facebook groups and complaints. Sun Chips bags biodegate so you don't need to recycle them. -
Regular Chips Bag
A regular chips bag usually takes about 12-16 weeks to decompose. You can cleaan out your empty chips bag and put new fresh food in it as a cover. -
Weather data for week of Jan. 30th- Feb, 5th
The temperature went from 4 degrees to 52 degrees. The wind speed went from 4 mph to 31 mph. The wind chill was about 43 degrees. On Febuary 4th we recieved 1.20 inches of snow. -
Apple
It takes an apple about 3 weeks to decompose. After you eat an apple you can throw the core into a garden or flower bed and it will help to be a soil conditioner. -
Weather Data fo Week of Feb. 6th- Feb. 12th
The temperature went from -5 degrees to 62 degrees. The wind speed varied from 5 to 19 mph. The wind chill went from 13 degrees to 39 degrees. On Febuary 9th we recieved 5. 90 inches of snow that stayed on the groung for the rest of the week. -
Paper
Paper in a warm moist landfill will decompose in 2 or 3 weeks. If it is cooler and drier, then it will take longer. Paper will survive in a very dry climate for many hundreds of years (people find old newspapers in the walls of their houses).
Stronger paper, like cartridge paper and board will take longer.
There are many ways to reuse paper. You can reprint it, allow your kids to color on it, make cat litter, stuff pillows, and many more, -
Weather Data for Week of Feb. 13th- Feb. 19th
The temperatured reached 80 degrees and dropped down to 32 degrees. the wind speed varied from 8 to 16 mph. The wind chill went from 50 to 69 degrees. -
Cotton
It takes about 5 monthes for fabric to decompose. To reuse your old t-shirts you can make a bag, a quilt, or a pillow case. -
Weather Data for Week of Feb. 20th- Feb. 26th
The temperature varied from 26 to 73 degrees. The wind speed went from 9 to 18 mph. The wind chill went down to 33 degrees and reached 67 degrees. On Febuary 24th we had rain and thinderstorms, -
Orange
It takes an orange about 2-5 weeks to decompose, After peeling and eating your orange you can throw the peel into a garden or flower bed and it will help to be a soil conditioner, -
Weather Data for week of Feb. 27- Mar. 6th
The temperature went down to 27 degrees and reached 80 degrees. The wind speed went from 9 to 18 mph. The wind chill varied from 39 to 62 degrees. On Febuary 28th we had rain. -
Decomposing Conditions
In extremly dry and extremly wet conditions, decomposition is slowed down. The ground needs to be moist. Our soil conditions have not been good for decomposititon. During the winter we got a lot of snow and rain so the ground was very wet. -
Conclusion- Styrfoam
We unburied the styrfoam cup on March 7th. It didn't decompose but it broke into pieces. -
Conclusion- Aluminum Foil
We unburied the Aluminum Foil on March 7th. It didn't decompose at all and was still in one peice when we unburied it. -
Conclusion- Regular Chips Bag
We unburied the Regular Sun Chips Bag on March 7th. It didn't decompose at all. -
Conclusion- Sun Chips Bag
We unburied the Sun Chips Bag on March 7th. It didn't decompose but a little peice came off. The advertisements say it will decompose completly in 13 weeks. We had it buried for about 9 weeks so maybe it needed a little more time. -
Conclusion- Apple
We unburied the apple on March 7th. The apple was in the cycle of decomposing. It was at about 40% -
Conclusion- Paper
We unburied the paper on March 8th. The paper decomposed the most out of all the items. In my opinion the paper decomposed about 86%. -
Conclusion- Cotton
We unburied the cotton on March 7th. It didn't decompose at all. -
Conclusion- Orange
We unburied the orange on March 7th. The orange was in the cycle of decomposing. It was at about 40%
