Names Env. Science and the Earth—Mr. Nelson

An Onion Conundrum

You recently obtained a job working for an environmental consulting firm, the Environmental Nelson Brain Trust. Your firm, famous for “brainstorming,” has recently received an anxious plea for help from Oscar Frizbee, owner of Oscar’s Onions. The distraught Oscar described how his onions failed to take root. He had tried everything, including the latest watering system and the finest organic fertilizer. Oscar suspected that runoff from a nearby bleach company had contaminated groundwater underneath his farm. Oscar has done the first step for you: he has observed that his onions have failed to take root. It’s up to you and your coworkers to develop a hypothesiswhich can be tested and would provide data to explain the mystery of the failed crop. Mr. Nelson will then provide you with some data and you will make conclusions based on this data.

OBJECTIVES

Identify the problem.

Create a hypothesis that you can test to find out the reason behind the problem.

Design a controlled experiment

Analyze and contrast data to identify differences.

Procedure

PART I—MAKE A HYPOTHESIS- RED FONT PLEASE

  1. Get together with your team, and discuss the mystery of the failed crop. What scientific problem you need to test in order to substantiate Mr. Frizbee’s claim? Write the problem below.
  1. First list all the variables that might have affected Oscar’s onions, based on his description. What variable does Mr. Frizbee think is the cause of the failed crop?, and develop a hypothesis. Write a hypothesis for this variable. A hypothesis is a prediction that can be tested and should be written as an IF…...THEN statement.

Possible variables that could affect Mr. Frizbee’s crop:

What is the variable that Mr. Frizbee wants you to test:

Write a Hypothesis,usingan If…….then……, sentence below:

Mr. Nelson gave you a copy of An Onion Conundrum DATA SHEET. Use this data sheet to complete the following questions.

Analysis Questions

  1. Constructing Graphs After you have averaged your data, make a double line graph comparing average root growth over time in the 2 sets oftest tubes tested (Control vs. Experimental Groups). Each Group Member: Print your graphs out and turn them into the folder by the due date.
  1. Explain why a line graph is a good way to represent your data.
  1. Analyzing Results Did your results support your hypothesis? Explain.

Conclusions:

  1. Evaluating Methods In your experiment, what variable did you change, and what variables did you hold constant?
  1. Why is it important to make sure that only one variable is changed for your test?
  1. Interpreting Information What conclusions can you draw from the results?
  1. Interpreting Information Write a report that summarizes your hypothesis, data, and analysis to send to Mr. Frizbee.

Extension:

  1. Research and Communications In a cranberry bog, the water and soil pH numbers should be in the 4.5 to 5.0 range for good cranberry production. Use the Internet to research the variables faced by a cranberry grower. For example, what variables do cranberry growers face when they treat the soil the cranberries grow in? How do the growers solve these problems? What pest problems do they have and how do they manage them?

Soil Issues

Pest Issues