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Problem
How much will these items decompose in this amount of time? -
Materials and Equipment
We used Shovels, wooden stakes, DO NOT CROSS tape, Re-bars, and mallets. Our items were apples, oranges, cotton fabric, foil, paper, a styrofoam cup, a Sun Chips bag, and a regular chips bag. -
Procedures: The Dig
We went out on friday, Jan. 7 and dug the holes for the items. Then we placed them in the holes and covered them up to be decomposed in the next 9 weeks. -
Hypothesis
I believe that the paper will be decomposed the most.
2.orange
3. apple
4. Sun Chips bag
5. regular chips bag
6. cotton
7. styrofoam
8. aluminum foil -
Weather conditions
Temperature plays a huge role on the speed an item decomposes. The higher the temperature in an area, the faster an object in that area will decompose. Heat makes objects decompose more rapidly than they would if they were in a cooler temperature. We are going to have very cool weather for most of this time so the items probably wont be decomposed as much. -
Styrofoam
I think the syrofoam cup will probably be the second to last one to decompose. Some people say it could take about 50 years for styrofoam to decompose. We'll see how it will do in a few weeks! It is probably better to reuse styrofoam. -
Weather
The average temperature for this week is 28 degrees farenheit. It was very windy and we had no rain. -
Aluminum foil
Aluminum foil is said to take about 80-200 years to decompose. It probably wont decompose at all in a few weeks. I guess you could try to reuse foil to save some time, money, and the environment. -
Weather
The average temperature for this week is 34 degrees fareheit. -
Sun Chips Bag
The Sun Chips bag is said to decompose in about 14 weeks. if it were warmer it would probably decompose in time, but in our conditions that is not likely to happen. since this is the new Sun Chips bage, it is not made of plastic. Instead it is made out ou PLA. PLA stands for polylactic acid, or polylactide, a versatile polymer made from plants. -
Weather
The average temperature for this week is 42 degrees farenheit. Still cold with very little rain. -
Regular Chips bag
The regular chips bag is said to take about 500 years to decompose because most of them are plastic. The reason it might take so long is because the majority of plastic bags are made from polyethylene. Microorganisms don't see it as food because it is man made. It is probably better to recycle plastic bags. -
Weather
The average temperature for this week is 22 degrees farenheit. We had snow throughout the whole week and it was very windy. -
Apple
The apples will probably decompose very quickly. Even just leaving an apple out for a long time after eating it makes it rot a little. so it will probably be decomposed very much after a few weeks. This is also safe throw away -
Weather
The average temperature for this week is 31 degrees farenheit. We had a little bit of snow. -
Paper
The paper is probably going to decompose the most. Even putting water o it makes it turn to mush. It really doesn't matter that much what you do with it. You could recycle it and reuse it (save some trees) or you could bury it and it would eventually go away. -
Weather
The average temperature for this week is 59 degrees farenheit. We had some very warm, and mild temperatures. -
Cotton
The cotton probably won't decompose that much. it could probably decompose in 5 months or longer. If it were warmer it would probably be a lot easier to decompose. Reusing cotton is good. -
Weather
The average weather for this week was 57 degrees farenheit. The temperature would vary. One day it could be really nice and warm then the next would be below freezing. It rained one time this week. -
Orange
The orange will probablly decompose a little more than the apple. Scince it is environmentally safe, its ok to throw an orange away. -
Weather
The average temperature for ths week was 48 degrees farenheit. It was a little windy but really nice. -
Conclusion- Styrofoam
When we dug up the items on March 7, the styrofoam decomposed 1%. It was in pieces, but there was no sign of any decay. -
Conclusion- Foil
When we dug up the items on March 7, the aluminum foil was decomposed 0%. Nothing happened to it. -
Conclusion- Sun chips bag
When we dug up the items on March 7, the Sun chips bag was decomposed 0%. Nothing happened to it. -
Conclusion- Regular chips bag
When we dug up the items on March 7, the regular chips bag decomposed 0%. Nothing happened to it. -
Conclusion- Apple
When we dug up the items on March 7, the apple decomposed about 45%. It was dark, rotted, and moldy and still in the process of decomposing. -
Conclusion- Paper
WHen we dug up the items on March 7, the paper decomposed the most. it was in pieces and about half of it was gone. -
Conclusion- Orange
When we dug up the items on March 7, the orange had decomposed around 40%. It was about the same as the apple; dark and moldy. It was still in the process of decomposing. -
Conclusion- Cotton
When we dug up the items on March 7, the cotton had decomposed 0%. Nothing happened to it.
