Effects of sugar in degradation of Organic Substances

[trexzert]

I want to know if sugar effects the degradation speed of organic substances. This could play a major role in composting, as the results could be between weeks or even months. (Compared to without sugar)

Do you think this will make a great experiment?

Question: What is the right amount of sugar that can degrade orange peels the fastest when added in the soil?

Hypothesis: If there is more sugar present in the soil, then orange peels will degrade faster.

Apparatus: Electronic scale, oven.
Material:
-4 1L containers
-4 porous bags
-200 ml of water (Includes 10 grams of sugar)
-200 ml of water (Includes 40 grams of sugar)
-200 ml of water (includes 70 grams of sugar).
-200 ml of water (no sugar)
-400 grams of orange peels

Short Procedure:
Place orange peels into the oven, and heat it for 10 minute so that the moisture inside the peels is gone. Put 100 grams of dry orange peels inside each porous bag. Mark the porous bags with name tags. Then place the bag inside the 1L container.

Add 400 grams of soil in the 4 containers.
Add 200 ml of water which includes different amounts of sugar into each container.
Every week, take out the porous bags and carefully brush off loose dirt. Weigh each bag with an electric scale and record.

Independent variable: Grams of sugar in each liquid.
Dependent variable: Weight of peels.
Controlled variable: 200ml of water with no sugar.

[MelissaB]

Hi,

I think that this will be a great experiment. Be prepared, though: It may take a lot of time to see a difference between the bags, depending on humidity and temperature (among other variables).

I would also suggest more replicates; in other words, you should have at least 6 bags of each treatment (no sugar, 40 g sugar, etc.)

I might also suggest actually putting the sugar in the bags with the orange peels. Otherwise, you can't really be sure that your sugar water is having an effect where you want it to have an effect.

Good luck!