Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I have a project proposal that is due on the second of August, which is based on infectious organisms.
I am grade 12 and for our assignment our task is: extended experimental investigation investigation scientific report
We have been put into pairs and have to devise a question that we will be able to experiment. My question is:Is it safe to eat cooked meat that has been left out for (approx) four hours?
However on the second of August we have a project proposal which is due, except we havent done the experiment and I am not quite sure what I have to do. Would I have to have a conclusion? Or what?

It would be much appreciated if anyone has any information on regards to my research question? Also if anyone has seen a experiment actually conducted on my question "Is it safe to eat cooked meat that has been left out for approx four hours.
Thankyou

Can someone please help me write an aim and hypothesis for my question: Is it safe to eat cooked meat that has been left out for approx four hours.
As I am very bad and dont understand how to write one.
This is for my project proposal which is based on infectious organisms
It would be very great if I could get a reply as soon as possible. Thankyou

Hi,

I cannot read your teacher's mind, but generally a project proposal is a summary of your background research, your question, your hypothesis, and your proposed procedure. You should not need results or a conclusion, since you are proposing the project rather than turning in a final version of the project. However, you should read any handouts your teacher gave you very carefully so you don't miss anything that should be in the proposal.

Here's a science buddies project idea that is very similar to what you are proposing: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p015.shtml . Science Buddies also has some great info on microbiology project safety and methods, here: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... l?From=Tab . Take a look at both and post back if you have any questions.

As to your question, you are potentially going to have some trouble with the word, 'safe'. You will need to decide how you are going to measure 'safety'. If I may make a suggestion, since it is often difficult or impossible to identify safe/unsafe bacteria, you might try a question like, 'Does cooked meat that has been left out for four hours have more bacteria than meat immediately after cooking (or meat that has been in a refrigerator)?'

Good luck!

Thankyou so much, this is a great help

Aslo: I merged your topics; please keep all your questions in the same thread so we can better help you. Science Buddies has great information on how to write an hypothesis on the same page with the microbiology guide: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... l?From=Tab . You will need to do some background research in order to formulate a good hypothesis. The 'aim' is simply what you want to accomplish with your experiment.

Thankyou again

Does this sound alright for a aim?
Aim: To test whether or not it is all right to eat cooked meat that has been left out for four hours.

and a hypothesis?
food left exposed to temperatures between 5degrees c and 60 degrees c in a non sterile environment for more than 2 hours become dangerous for human re-consumption / consumption

I did it up pretty quick, its probarly wrong, does anyone have thoughts or suggestion on how I could expand it and make them better?

My question is on my other posts.
Anyones contribution would be a great help

? Still awaiting a reply for my last post.
It would be great to get a comment back as soon as possible, as this needs to be done by tonight or tomorrow.
Thankyou

If anyone gets this, can you please read my blog 'I need help', no one yet has commented on my last questions which is on the very bottom of my blog and I think people who are reading my blog are missing it. So if you could do that would be very much appreciated as my assignment needs to be done as soon as possible .
Thankyou

Anyone?

I have been waiting several hours for a response and it would be very much appreciated if someone would read my last post. I am kinda stressing out as this is due tomorrow and I am about to go to work and am going to have to complete it at 9.30. tonight. I just need someone to read my aim and hypothesis because I don't know if they are right.
Please read my last post to understand this message. Thankyou again

Angelwithoutwings,

This is a web forum, not a chat room--experts check the forums once per day, and experts live all over the world and check the forums at different times. Therefore, please allow 48 hours for a reply to any question.

As for your question: Your aim seems fine, but your hypothesis suggests that you will be testing multiple variables (time since being left out as well as temperature the meat is left out in). Moreover, you have implied that you will be testing for dangerous substances (presumably bacteria) even though I warned you that that might be difficult/impossible.

What background research led you to suggest the 2 hour mark? You should probably provide a citation to that information.

Good luck!