How Does Microwave Radiation Affect Plant Growth and Development?

How Does Microwave Radiation Affect Plant Growth and Development? • Erin Chandler • 9th Grade

Problem • How does different amounts of radiation affect growth? • Is it true that radiation can cause mutations and complications?

Research • Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through space and may be able to penetrate many materials • The four main types of radiation are alpha radiation, gamma radiaton, beta radiation, and x radiation • Alpha radiation cannot penetrate human skin but is still harmful • Beta radiation is moderately penetrating and can cause skin problems • Gamma radiation and X radiation are x-rays and can penetrate easily and can be extremely harmful (this is the kind of radiation in microwaves and used in my experiment) • Radiation and genetic mutations • Certain amounts=different affects? • Standing in front of a microwave myth or fact? • Cancer radiation can affect growth hormones • Not only radiation but inhaling radiation can cause cancer. • More radiation can cause more problems.

Hypothesis • If the seed is microwaved for a longer amount of time, then it will cause more damage to the seed. • Supported by the idea that radiation will kill the seed more with more exposure to the radiation.

Materials • 4 lima bean seeds • 1 microwave oven • four 5 cm by 5 cm containers (height:7.6 cm) • water • 236 ml of dirt per container

Procedure • Control: plant not microwaved • Manipulative: amount of exposure to microwave radiation • Responding: results of growth and development of seeds • Microwaved plant A: 0 seconds B: 5 seconds C: 10 seconds D: 20 seconds • All were placed by a window and watered once daily

Results • trial 1: growth of plant B on day 7, plant A on day 10, and plant C no growth • trial 2: growth of plant B on day 7, plant A on day 11, and plant C on day 11 • trial 3: growth of plant B on day 7, plant A on day 9, and plant C on day 11 • Plant D had no growth through all 3 trials

Data

Conclusion • If the seed is microwaved for a longer amount of time, then it will cause more damage to the seed. • Supported by my research that radiation caused problems, complications, and kills growth hormones • The experiment shows that plant B (5 seconds) had just enough radiation for something to happen in the seed that caused the seed to grow extremely fast • Plant B grew almost twice as fast as plant A (0 seconds) • Improvements: could have done it in a plastic bag with water to see full growth. • Advancements: could have taken it further and microwaved seeds for longer amounts of time to make my results more accurate • Problems: plant C did not grow at all in trial 1

Thanks • Bleifield, Maurice. Botany Projects for Young Scientists. Maurice Bleifield: n.p., 1992. Print. • Bugsby, Bruce. "Biological Effects of Radiation." Health Physics Society. HPS, 19 May 2009. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. <http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q1280.html>. • Martinez, Alfonzo Balmori. "The Effects of Microwaves on Trees and Other • Plants." boomaantastingen. N.p., Dec. 2003. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. <http://www.boomaantastingen.nl/onderzoek_bomen_planten.pdf>. • O'Leary, Nancy. "Does Microwave Radiation Affect Seed Growth?" infoplease. N.p., • 8 Nov. 2009. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. <http://www.infoplease.com/cig/science-fair-projects/does-microwave-radiation-affect-seed-growth.html>. • Tocci, Salvatore. Plant Projects for Young Scientists. N.p.: Franklin Watts, 2000. Print.

How Does Microwave Radiation Affect Plant Growth and Development?