Booth Id:
EV048
Category:
Environmental Engineering
Year:
2014
Finalist Names:
Henze, Connor
Abstract:
Global warming is a real world problem that we each have a responsibility in helping to reduce. My project was to see what type of grass could help reduce global warming. My hypothesis was that if I test different grasses to see which would reduce the temperature the most, then it will be Red Fescue grass. I made twenty terrariums from pop bottles. I planted three different kinds of grasses: Red Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Rye, in fifteen terrariums and left five with only soil to serve as the control. My carbon dioxide source in each terrarium was a tablespoon of vinegar mixed with one tsp of baking soda. I used a temperature probe and thermometers to measure temperature change in each terrarium. After performing my experiment and recording my data, I found that the control group had an average percent change in temperature of 10.8. Rye grass had an average percent change in temperature of -8.6. The Red Fescue had an average percent change in temperature of -6.6. The Kentucky Bluegrass had an average percent change in temperature of -6.4.
In conclusion, my hypothesis was rejected. My data supports that Rye grass caused the temperature to decrease the most. The Rye grass used more of the carbon dioxide in the container to perform the process of photosynthesis. If people would be willing to plant Rye grass in their community this could potentially help reduce global warming and have a positive impact on our climate.