This is a class set
Decomposition Lab
Eighty-four percent of a typical household’s waste — including food scraps, yard waste, paper, cardboard, cans,
and bottles — can be recycled. However the majority of it ends up in country landfills. The second biggest landfill
in the US is Puente Hills in Whittier, California. They receive most of the trash from Los Angeles County and
accumulate 3,756,718 tons of trash of year. In this lab we will be comparing the decomposition rates of biotic and
abiotic materials to analyze exactly how long it takes our trash to turn back into soil.
Materials
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Orange
Plastic Bottle
Paper
Aluminum Can
Styrofoam
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Glass
Diaper
Wool
Carton
Cigarette
Cotton
News paper
Plastic Bag
Procedure
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Organize the materials provided in a timeline from fastest decomposition time to slowest.
Record the order in a timeline and hypothesize rates of decomposition.
Write a statement for your hypothesis.
Under data, record the actual decomposition times.
Represent data graphically.
Hypothesis
Write a hypothesis distinguishing between fast and slow decomposers.
Ex: Small things will decompose at a faster rate than large things.
Do not say “I believe” or “I think”. Make a claim.
3wk 4wk 2mo 3mo
5mo
1yr
10yrs
500yrs
FOREVER
Data Analysis
**If you did this in a group, you can have the same data tables and graphs.
3wk 4wk 2mo 3mo
APES- Davis
5mo
1yr
10yrs
500yrs
FOREVER
This is a class set
Discussion
** This part must be your own original idea, do not copy!
Explain exactly what happened in the chart and graph(s) that you created.
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What information does the graph show?
Analyze exactly what types of materials decompose faster.
Conclusion
** This part must be your own original idea, do not copy!
First paragraph: (This can earn you a max of 2 points)
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What did we learn from doing this experiment?
Was your hypothesis correct?
If you could do an experiment on trash decomposition or product design what would you like to
study?
Second Paragraph: (This can earn you a max of 2 points)
Using information from your notes and data from the lab explain;
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How are sanitary landfills different than traditional ones?
Outline a positive and negative of recycling.
Describe Cradle to cradle design or at home Composting (worm bins)
**If you need help with any part of the lab please come to tutoring, Tuesday after school  **
APES- Davis