The Scientific Method Persuasive Essay
The process of the scientific method is one that involves questioning the reasoning behind the results. Each of the steps to question a planted aquarium was constructed under deep thought and personal experiences. The process of the scientific method can apply to any type of scientific study. Included in this paper is the scientific method of a planted aquarium and a real life example of the explanation of how a plant responds to light. With the plant either responding to natural sun light or artificial light and observing which grows the healthiest.
Aside from the biology retrospect, this can also apply to something that is used on a daily basis. Therefore, in carefully creating a study one should be able to obtain the results of their observations. These are the steps that were obtained from the class website: Observation: Have you ever noticed if you place a plant near a window, that after a while, the plant grows or leans toward the window? Question: Have you ever wondered why the plant grows toward the window? Hypothesis: What reasons or factors can you list that might cause a plant to lean or grow toward a window?
For example I think plants respond to the light from which they absorb some needed nutrient. Prediction: If it is true that plants respond to the light from which they absorb some needed nutrient then grow three plants in the light and three plants in the dark then see a difference or change in the direction the plant is growing/leaning. Results: The leaves of the three plants in the light stayed green while the leaves of the three plants in the dark turned pale yellow. To test this experiment I would first try to figure out if the plant responds to the light or dark.
I would try to keep it away from the window first to see the reaction of the plant. Then I would try to put the plant back in the light and test to see if the plant absorbs any nutrients while in the light. Recording a hypothesis after each experiment would be beneficial to my experiments so I can be sure of what is working best and try a different method if possible. I would probably state that my hypothesis of the plant leaning towards the light is what I would use as my prediction. Any type of plant would lean towards natural light because they are able to absorb nutrients that help them thrive.
Substrate for planted aquariums can also be used as a supplement for the plant, but plants need light in order to maintain their color. I would record and keep my data for weeks in order to obtain proper results. Measuring the temperature of the planted aquarium is also beneficial as most freshwater plants are tropical and strictly need a warmer aquarium to continue growing. Using growth formulas and charts can help me create a better spreadsheet as an overall view of the successes of growing plants.
In reviewing the results, I would be able to obtain some final results about my observations. I would conclude that observations were correct when I predicted that the plants would respond to the light. I would then also test plants in different temperatures of water while taking some out of the natural light and leaving them in substrate in artificial light. I think that my theories would prove correct if I were to leave the plants in natural sunlight and prove that they need the glucose nutrient to thrive. A real life example was when I worked at a pet store.
Tropical freshwater plants were meant to have at least 12 hours of powerful artificial light in order for the plants to survive. Light in some aquariums is recommended that it should not be too powerful as it may attract algae. Aside from the light, they were given plant substrate and some plants were not fully submersed into the water while others were. One day when the light above the plant tank that was holding all the plants went out, it was out for two days. The plants slowly started losing their leaves and the plants were yellowing because they had no nutrients from the light.
When we placed the plants into the fish tanks, the plants slowly started to grow their leaves again and regained their color. In conclusion, no matter how you use the scientific method there will always be thoughts and ideas that come together in turn giving the person their results. Keeping record of gathered ideas to concocting a hypothesis and then later proving your results will come in handy and prove that a certain method works. One should carefully plan out what their plan is for a study so they can successfully prove their results.
References
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_scientific_method.shtml
