Experiment Title:
What is the effect of microgravity on mold growth on
white bread?
Grade Level(s) of Submitting Student Team: 6th grade
Submitting School: New Explorations into Science,
Technology & Mathematics
Submitting School District: 01
Co-Principal Investigators : (listed in alphabetical order)
Name: Noor Ajam
Grade level: 6th grade
Name: Foyez Alauddin
Grade level: 6th grade
Name: Alexander Harris
Grade level: 6th grade
Submitting Teacher Facilitator: Margaux Stevenson
Collaborators: (listed in alphabetical order)
Emma Alatzas, Ella Briman, Sarah Caba, Lucy Cantor, Elisa Carrillo, Samantha Chan, Sydney Cardieri, Hana Cruz,
Benjamin Ebanks, Elana Field, Jack Geyer, Zander Grier, Meredith Griffin, Oscar Johnson, Liam Kronman, Jonathan
Leybungrub, Jonathan Lim, Noah Mack, Macy McGrail, Haylie Parrilla, Tristan Pragnell, Elijah Shapiro, Ryo
Shimosato, Jeron Wilkinson, Nora Youngelson.
Grade level for all collaborators: 6th grade.
Experiment Summary
OUR QUESTION:
“WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF MICROGRAVITY ON MOLD
GROWTH ON WHITE BREAD?”
● We wanted to do this experiment because we did not
know much about mold growth, and were very interested
in learning about a new topic in microgravity
● We used an FME type two tube to contain white bread
and formalin, a fixative
● Our procedure was to leave the bread alone until D-2
days, when the formalin will be released
● We hoped to gain insight into the amount of mold dust in
the air, as mold starts out as dust
● We planned to measure results through square inches
and spore count
The Question to be Addressed by
the Experiment
•
•
•
Our question for this experiment was “What is the effect of microgravity on
mold growth on white bread?”
Knowledge going into experiment:
●
Bread mold can be black, green, or blue
●
Bread mold is formed by mold spores reproducing
●
Spores are 3-40 microns in size
●
Mold starts out as dust, floats in air until it finds food to land on/other
spores to reproduce with
●
Mold is fungi
●
You need mold spores, food spores can thrive on, and a warm and
moist environment
●
Mold does not grow well in cold
Insight will be gained into the amount of mold dust in the air, as mold starts out
as dust
Experiment Design
•
•
•
We chose bread for our experiment because mold grows well on it
The one initiation process for our experiment was to release formalin
at D-2 days for both the space and ground setups; we will do this to
prevent mold from growing when the micro-gravitational setup
returns to a gravitational environment
We planned to measure the results through square inches and spore
count
Using the Electron Microscope
Loading elements
Pictures
Photograph of ground setup under
Electron Microscope
Photograph of space setup
under Electron Microscope
Photograph of space setup under
Compound Microscope
Photograph of space setup under
Electron Microscope
Pictures (cont.)
Looking at bread with BioBase
director Latasha Wright at BioBase
From left to right: teacher
facilitator Margaux Stevenson,
co-principal investigators
Alexander Harris, Noor Ajam, and
Foyez Alauddin
Results and Data Analysis
●
We used an electron microscope and compound
microscope to analyze the breads
●
Since both breads were both completely covered
in mold, we deemed measurements unnecessary
●
We have concluded that there is minimal to no
difference between mold growth on white bread
in a gravitational and micro-gravitational
environment
●
If we were to do anything differently, we would try
to better control the temperatures of both
samples in order to produce more reliable results
Acknowledgements
The Student Team would like to thank our teacher, Ms. Stevenson; NEST+m’s SSEP program
administrator and NEST+m Assistant Principal Mr. Brendan Alfieri; and NEST+m science teacher Mr.
Marvin Cardornigara. We would also like to thank the SSEP people, The Center for the
Advancement of Science in Space, The New York State Space Grant Consortium (Cornell University),
BioBase the NYC Department of Education, and the NEST+m PTA.
Letter of Certification by the Teacher Facilitator
November 4, 2013
I certify that the student team designed the experiment described herein and authored this proposal, and not a teacher, parent, or other adult. I
recognize that the purpose of this letter is to ensure that there was no adult serving to lead experiment definition and design, or write the proposal, and
thereby provide content and/or professional expertise beyond that expected of a student-designed and student-proposed experiment.
I also understand that NCESSE recognizes that facilitation of thinking across the student team by the team’s Teacher Facilitator, and other teachers,
parents, and local area researchers, is not only to be encouraged but is absolutely vital if students are to receive the necessary guidance on the process
of scientific inquiry, experimental design, how to do background research in relevant science disciplines, and on writing the proposal.
I also certify that the samples list and the special handling requests listed in this proposal are accurate and conform to the requirements for SSEP Mission 5
to ISS. I confirm that the team, after reviewing their procedure and budget for obtaining the samples for the experiment, is certain that they will be able to
obtain the necessary samples for their experiment in time to meet the deadline for shipping the flight-ready FME to NanoRacks. If using human samples,
the team is aware that these samples must be tested for prohibited viruses before the experiment can be selected for flight. Finally, the Teacher Facilitator
certifies that the student team will have access to the proper facilities to prepare the Fluid Mixing Enclosure for flight and to analyze the samples after the
flight.
Margaux Stevenson
Teacher Facilitator