Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

HELP!!!-How roots grow when the direction of gravity changes
Postby fluffyunicorn » Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:35 pm

Hello! I was wondering how i could graph the data, because they are 4 seeds total in one CD case, and 6 CDs, and i have done 3 experiments... Does that mean that I'll have to graph 18 graphs? I'm so sorry but I don't understand about how to form the graph and data tables. Can you please help me? My project is due pretty soon and I really need help!!! Please!!!

Here is the info on my project: sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/PlantBio_p034.shtml#summary

Thank you so much!!!

Hi fluffyunicorn,

We are happy to help you. This sounds like a really neat project!

Let’s deal with the tables first. It looks like you record the length of each seed's root once a day, along with the angle of the root's growth. Is that the data you have? I suggest making 6 data tables per trial--one for each seed sandwich. Since you have three trials, it's a total of 18 data tables. The rows in your table would be the days you measured the seeds (day 1, day 2, etc.). Your data table would have 8 columns. Each seed in the seed sandwich uses two of those columns: one for root length and one for growth angle. I've uploaded an attachment with an example of what the data table might look like.
For graphs, I would suggest averaging the data from each of your trials and plotting that as a function of time on a single graph, with a different color or symbol for each seed. To do this, you would average the root length and growth angle for each day of your three trials. For example, if on day 3 of seed sandwich #4 one seed was 4 cm long for trial 1, 2 cm long for trial 2, and 6 cm long for trial 3, then the average for day 3 of that specific seed in seed sandwich #4 would be 4 cm.

Does that make sense? If not, post back and let me know what is confusing. I’ll try to make things clearer!

Thank you so much for replying! Your advice really helped! I just have a few more questions... So, for the graphs, I'm averaging all the seeds from one seed sandwich, and then averaging it with the other seeds from the two other trials? Or am I averaging every single seed in the experiment? Could you maybe show me a format or an example? I'm so sorry And, for the data tables, do you think that 18 tables would fit in my display board? Is there a way to combine the data from all three trials together into a single table? Sorry that's a lot of questions...

Thanks!

Hi fluffyunicorn,

Questions are great - I'm happy to help.

Unless your teacher tells you otherwise, I don't think you need to have all 18 data tables on your board. But, they should be in your lab notebook, and your lab notebook should be at your display. The purpose of your display board is to summarize your project in an easy-to-understand format. So, I find that graphs are much more helpful on display board than data tables are. For your display board I would definitely combine all of your data into one summary table. But, ask your teacher to see what he or she wants. If your teacher says you need to have all of your data tables on your display board, then you should do that. Your teacher sets the criteria for your project, not me or you

Here's how I suggest making a summary table. By the end of three trials, you should have data on a total of 24 seeds from the upright sandwich, 24 seeds from the horizontal sandwich, and 24 seeds from the rotated sandwich. (There are four seeds per sandwich, and you had two upright, two horizontal, and two rotated sandwiches. This means each trial gives you data on eight different seeds that grew under the same conditions. Then, you repeated the experiment three times. 8 times 3 = 24, so you have data on 24 seeds upright, 24 seeds horizontal, and 24 seeds rotated). For each day, I suggest averaging the data from all 24 seeds that grew under the same conditions. The board isn't letting me attach another file to this post, so I put an example here: https://sites.google.com/site/seedsandw ... mple-table.

As far as graphs go, I would make two sets of graphs: one for your display board and one for your lab notebook. For your display board, I would graph the averaged data from your summary data table. That is, I would average the data (for each day) for all 24 seeds that grew under the same conditions, and then plot those averages on the Y axis and time on the X axis. For your lab notebook, I would make one graph for each of the 18 data tables in your lab notebook.

Let me know if I can help with anything else!

Thank you so, so, so much! You have no idea how much you've helped me! I just finished my whole project and I'm so relieved. I couldn't have done it without your help.
Again, Thank you!

Hi fluffyunicorn,

Woohoo! Congratulations on finishing your project. I'm glad I was able to help.