Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

One good source for this one is, ironically, a TV show. Discovery Channel's Mythbusters did exactly this experiment.

Anyway, one thing to be careful when planning any experiment that involves bacteria is to carefully check the rules of your science fair to see if there are any special requirements for projects like that.

Basically, what you're going to want to do is have a prepared place to "drop" the food where you won't get any cross contamination of your samples. You'll also want to have a control surface that is known to be sanitized (not just disinfected... boil that puppy).

Also, you might have more luck asking on the Life Sciences forum rather than here.

Biancarules wrote:We would like to know what bacteria is on food before and after it has been on the ground? Also, What are the steps to conducting an expariment for does the "five second rule" apply? Thank you !!!

Hello, Biancarules!

Is the goal of your project to:

1. Identify the bacteria, before and after dropping it

2. Prove (or disprove) the myth that food gets additional bacteria from the ground

or

3. Both 1 and 2

???

Once you have your goal clearly stated, I recommend that you post your question to the Life, Earth and Social Sciences forum on Science Buddies. Since this project involves bacteria growth, the biology experts in that forum can probably provide the most appropriate assistance for a project of this type.

Your project sounds really interesting! Best wishes for your success with it!

The MythBusters episode on this topic was actually one of their better experiments in that they had given some thought to control groups instead of just diving in and doing the project as they normally do.

Highly recommended since it will help you design your experiment. And knowing what they did and the results they got, you can improve on their experiment.

Unfortunately, I just checked, and it is not on TV in the next 2 weeks.