Finalized SIP idea

This idea was accepted by Ms Tan, who was glad that I was doing an experiment concerning brine shrimp! I am glad that I finally have an approved/confirmed idea which is interesting and intriguing!

Research question: Do different genres of music (rock, pop, classical, etc.) affect the the time taken for Artemia (Brine shrimp) to hatch?

Hypothesis: Different genres of music (rock, pop, classical, etc.) affects the time taken for Artemia (Brine shrimp) to hatch.

Independent variable

Genres of music

- Pop

- Classical

- Country

- Metal

Controlled variables

Volume of music, number of hours the eggs are exposed to music, horizontal distance of the music player from the surface of the tank, temperature of water, volume of water, type of container/tank, area the tanks are placed at

Dependent variable

Time taken for Artemia (Brine Shrimp) eggs to hatch

The Sea-Monkeys kit sold in Toys R Us is around $30 but has lots of suitable equipment to grow brine shrimp. However, I cannot use the eggs provided by the kit as they are instant eggs. In other words, they will hatch once placed in saltwater. Components of the Sea-Monkeys kit: Ventilated lid, built-in magnifiers and a molded bottom sea-scape. Comes with a 32-page illustrated instruction booklet, feeding spoon and three packets: #1 Water Purifier, #2 Instant Live Eggs, and #3 Growth Food

I can get the Artemia eggs from the school laboratory as they have a huge supply there. The brine shrimp will be quite small when they hatch so I intend to use a handlens to magnify them. Another option is to bring them to school during the holidays and look at them under the microscope.

Idea #8

The 4th research question in my previous blogpost was accepted by Ms Tan but with reservations. It would be a tough idea to carry out as I would have to attempt to grow fungi at home and there was a chance that the fungi would not grow due to undesirable conditions. Fungi require stringent conditions to grow, such as the optimum temperature of 15-27 degrees Celsius, and these conditions would be difficult to maintain over the long period of time needed to grow fungi. Another alternative was to buy fungi but fungi is difficult to buy. The farms I emailed to buy fungi did not reply and the fungi that they sold were along the lines of Japanese mushrooms which was costly and more suited for human consumption than science experiments. Therefore, I decided to come up with another SIP idea to consult Ms Tan about.

Research question: Do different genres of music (rock, pop, classical, etc.) affect the the time taken for Artemia (Brine shrimp) to hatch?

Hypothesis: Different genres of music (rock, pop, classical, etc.) affects the time taken for Artemia (Brine shrimp) to hatch.

Idea #7

Research question: Does the angle of the surface on which live mushroom (fungi) grows on affect its direction of growth?

Hypothesis: The angle of the surface on which fungi grows affects its direction of growth.

Independent variable: Angle of surface (cardboard)

- 90 degrees

- 180 degrees (flat)

- 45 degrees

Dependent variable: Direction of mushroom (fungi) growth

Science: Biology and Physics

- Concerns the growth of organisms (fungi)

- Testing if gravity is a factor in the direction of fungal growth as the

Brief Research:

- Fungi grow in a wide range of habitats, including extreme environments such as deserts or areas with high salt concentrations

Benefit of research:

- This is to increase farmers' awareness of ground elevation when growing mushrooms to ensure that they will reach optimal growth and will not break along the way

- Clear worries of farmers if they were to grow their mushrooms or other fungi in confined areas at angles.

Another 3 ideas

My first 3 ideas were rejected because of their feasibility and difficulty level. I have typed out the reasons why they were rejected in red in the previous blog post. Because of this, I have thought up another 4 possible research questions to consult with Ms Tan.

#1

Research question: How do different carbonated drinks (Coca-Cola, 7-up, Sprite, etc.) affect the rate of corrosion of a stimulated tooth(chicken bone)?

Hypothesis: Coca-Cola results in the greatest rate of corrosion of a stimulated tooth.

Independent variable: Type of carbonated drink

-Coca-Cola

- Pepsi

- 7-Up

- Sprite

- F&N

Dependent variable: Rate of corrosion of a stimulated tooth

Controlled variables: Type of container they are kept in, amount of carbonated drink the "tooth" is submerged in, type of stimulated tooth (chicken bone)

#2

Research question: How does the pH level affect the growth rate of common Singapore household mould (aspergillus, penicillium, etc.)?

Hypothesis: The more acidic the pH level, the higher the rate of mould growth.

Dependent variable: Growth rate of mould

Independent variable: pH level

Controlled variables: Amount of water placed in the containers with the mould, type of container, amount of light exposed to the mould

Method to measure mould:

1. Trace out the outline of the mould on tracing paper

Place it on a graph paper

Count the number of 0.1x0.1 square cm grids in which the mould covers more than 90%

#3

Research question: Which of the most common substances used (Bleach, vinegar, detergent, baking soda, grapefruit seed extract) in getting rid of mould is the most effective?

Hypothesis: Grapefruit seed extract is the most effective in getting rid of mould.

Independent variable: Substances used

Dependent variable: Amount of mould left

Rough outline of the method I'll be using for this experiment:

1. Scrape and place mould the size of a 50 cent coin on a plastic sheet

2. Pour a cup of bleach into a spray bottle

3. Pour 10 cups of water into the same spray bottle

4. Shake thoroughly

5. Spray it 3 times on the mould

6. Wait for 5 minutes

7. Wipe the mould 10 times back and forth with a cloth

8. Outline the remaining mould with tracing paper

9. Place it on graph paper

10. Count the number of 0.1x0.1 square cm grids in which the mould covers more than 90%

#4

Research question: Does the angle of the surface on which live mushroom (fungi) grows on affect its direction of growth?

Hypothesis: The angle of the surface on which fungi grows affects its direction of growth.

Independent variable: Angle of surface (cardboard)

- 90 degrees

- 180 degrees (flat)

- 45 degrees

Dependent variable: Direction of mushroom (fungi) growth

Science: Biology and Physics

- Concerns the growth of organisms (fungi)

- Testing if gravity is a factor in the direction of fungal growth as the

Brief Research:

- Fungi grow in a wide range of habitats, including extreme environments such as deserts or areas with high salt concentrations

Benefit of research:

- This is to increase farmers' awareness of ground elevation when growing mushrooms to ensure that they will reach optimal growth and will not break along the way

- Clear worries of farmers if they were to grow their mushrooms or other fungi in confined areas at angles.

First 3 ideas

I had spent some time researching for SIP and thinking of possible research questions before coming up with 3 research ideas. All I have to do now is to consult Ms Tan regarding the feasibility of the ideas.

#1

Research question: How does the speed of appearance of mould (sign of decomposition) compare with chicken nuggets from different international fast food outlets (Wendy’s, Carl’s Junior, MOS Burger, McDonald’s, Long John Silver, Popeye’s Chicken, Burger King)?

Hypothesis: The chicken nuggets from MOS Burger would be the fastest in showing signs of mould whereas those from McDonald’s would be the slowest.

Independent variable: Type of chicken nuggets

Dependent variable: Speed of appearance of mould

Controlled variables: Type of container the nuggets are kept in, amount of water placed in the container, amount of light the set-ups are exposed to

Materials:

1) Nuggets

- Wendy’s 5-piece Crispy Chicken Nuggets

- Carl’s Junior Chicken strips

- MOS Burger Chicken nuggets

- McDonald’s McNuggets

- Long John Silver’s Giant Chicken Nugget

- Popeye’s Chicken’s Louisiana Nuggets

- Burger King’s Chicken Tenders

2) 7 plastic food containers

3) 7 small sponge cubes

#2

Research question: How do different liquids (coffee, tea, soda, water, flavoured water, fruit juice) affect the health of a stimulated tooth?

Hypothesis: Soda will have the greatest effect on the health of a stimulated tooth while water will have the least effect.

Independent variable: Type of liquid

- Coffee

- Tea

- Soda

- Water

- Flavoured water

- Fruit juice

Dependent variable: Health of stimulated tooth (chicken bone)

- Brittleness

- Colour

- Rate of corrosion

- Texture

Controlled variables: Type of stimulated tooth, amount of liquid, time submersed in liquid

#3

Research question: How does the amount of fat in cheese affect its rate of decomposition?

Hypothesis: The greater the amount of fat, the faster the rate of decomposition.

Independent variable: Amount of fat in cheese

Dependent variable: Rate of decomposition

Controlled variables: Ingredients of the cheeses used, temperature they are stored at, type of container they are stored in, amount of light they are exposed to

Concerns: 1) The amount of fat in the different cheese differ by only one to two grams

2) Must all the other factors of the cheese be the same (protein, carbohydrates, energy level)?