Lily+Maxwell

=Fruit Ripening in Different Conditions=

Problem:
What is the fastest way to ripen a banana? If you are just looking at a banana, reflect in your title. Ms. Miller

Background Research:
====Food doesn't last forever. Most fruits continue ripening even after they are picked. As they ripen they release ethylene **(Banana, 2010)**. Ethylene is a small hydrocarbon gas **(Ethylene, 2013)**. While ethylene is used positively in fruit ripening, it is often thought of as an aging hormone for plants **(Ethylene,** **2013)**. Ethylene has many side effects on plants. Some of the side effects are stem shortening, chlorophyll loss, and abscission of plant parts **(Ethylene, 2013)**. Ethylene can do major damage to plants, but why and how does it help fruits? In fruits the ethylene is created when the ripening process starts. Ethylene is responsible for many changes in the fruit. Some changes include a change in color and texture. Ethylene is released from the fruits. Covering the fruit makes it ripen faster. When it is covered the ethylene is trapped. With more ethylene the faster the fruit ripens. That means that when a fruit is covered, it will ripen faster.====

So..what's abscission? I don't think most people will know what that means and you might want to define it-your favorite Noah Hahn
Also, I never really understood what or why you were doing this experiment, you might want to explain that too, but other than that its good so far.-Your favorite Noah Hahn

Hypothesis:
If the banana is covered, then it will ripen faster. covered? Ms. Miller =IV= banana's placement placement? Ms. Miller

DV
ripening speed

Materials:

 * 1) ==== 5 unripe green bananas (same in size) ====
 * 2) 5 sticky notes
 * 3) 1 writing utensil
 * 4) 2 plastic bag (with seal)
 * 5) 1 plastic container (with lid)
 * 6) 1 vacuum seal bag
 * 7) 1 vacuum sealer

Budget:
(Where would you purchase these materials? - allison schott)
 * 1) $2.49
 * 2) $2.74
 * 3) $1.00
 * 4) $3.79
 * 5) $4.25
 * 6) included in #7
 * 7) $69.99
 * total: __$84.26__**

Procedure:

 * 1) Gather your materials
 * 2) Label each sticky note (Banana 1, Banana 2...)
 * 3) Set the sticky notes 15 cm apart
 * 4) Place Banana 1 above the center of it's coordinating sticky note.
 * 5) Put Banana 2 in one of the plastic bags (do not seal the bag)
 * 6) Put Banana 3 in the other plastic bag
 * 7) Seal the bag
 * 8) Put Banana 4 in the vacuum seal bag
 * 9) Seal the bag with the vacuum sealer
 * 10) Put Banana 5 in the plastic container
 * 11) Close the container with it's lid
 * 12) Place all of the bananas above the matching sticky notes (step 4)

Is there a way to measure the ethylene amount? Ms. Miller
 * Make data tables
 * Count the spots on each banana everyday (except for weekends) Is this a limitation? can it be avoided? Ms. Miller
 * Record results in data tables
 * Observe the color of each banana
 * Record observations
 * Draw conclusions

You might want to make sure that where you place the bananas has the same amount of sunlight. -Claire Schrock
What are you going to cover the bananas in so that the ethylene is trapped inside? -Claire Schrock When you put the bananas in the bags, are you going to try to get all the air out, or are you going to seal them with the air still in them? Or will the amount of air in the bags have no affect on the experiment? (Kaitlyn Olsen) Also, how will you continue to count the spots once they start to blend together? (Kaitlyn Olsen) (What websites did you find your background researcher from? you might want to include a work cited. - allison schott)