State the Problem:

What is the effect of assorted color lights on the germination and growth of terrarium grass?

Research:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/green-yellow-grass-38946.html
https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-is-grass-green-2
https://www.livescience.com/32496-why-is-grass-green.html6

In order to explain how this project works we must know why grass is green. Chlorophyll
is a pigment found in photosynthetic organisms. The blue light makes the chlorophyll grow
taller, and the red light makes the chlorophyll healthy. It absorbs both of those colors and
reflects green, which makes the grass green. The only problem is that we put a blue light which
is includes strong energy and heat (blue is the hottest color). So, as a result, the grass is a little
yellow because too much heat makes grass dry. Another way grass is green is when all the
colors are absorbed except green. In this example, chlorophyll takes red, orange, yellow, blue,
indigo, and violet and reflects green. You can grow red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or
violet grass.

Rationale:
If a person wants to grow grass in a terrarium, they will know what colors to use to make sure
their plants think the orange light and regular white light will help the terrarium grass grow faster
because those are healthy and tall. They also can customize the characteristics of the grass to
reach what they want.

Hypothesis:
Sasha: I are warm colors and blue is kind of a dark color and plants like light colors. Orange
also looks like sunlight and plants like the sun.
Avni: I think that the yellow light will help the terrarium grass grow faster because yellow is a
warm color and plants require sunlight.
Anna: I think that the yellow light and blue light will help the terrarium grass grow faster because
the yellow and blue lights together are soothing to the eye.
Luke: I think the blue light will make the terrarium grass grow better because plants
require sunlight, but the plants also require darkness. The lamp electricity will provide
heat and the blue would provide coolness.

My supplies:
• 8 plastic cups
• Water
• Regular white/yellow lightbulb
• Blue light bulb
• Orange light bulb
 • 3 lamps
• mL measurer
• 60 seeds of terrarium grass
• Black sharpie
• Tape
• 3 pieces of giant aluminum foil
• 1/3 of a cup measurer
• Potting Soil
• 3 mixers

Our Plan:
• Take 4 cups and place them on a table
• Measure 1/3 of a cup of potting soil
• Place it in a cup and pour 35mL of water in each cup
• Use a mixer and mix till the soil is moist
• Flatten the soil
• Place about 20 seeds in each cup
• Cover the seeds with more soil
• Put cups under lights
• Wrap lights and plants with big pieces of aluminum foil
• Tape the foil to the lights
• Wait 11 days
• Check on experiment
• Wait 2 more days
• Check experiment

The results: Our results were decent. The blue light grew the tallest, but it was the
second healthiest. The orange light was the healthiest but grew second tallest. Then the
white light, it grew the smallest and least healthy with yellow halfway up most of its
leaves.

Blue Light:
Height (including roots): 6.5in, 16.5cm
Health: Second healthiest of all the plants. Only some of the tips of the grass are yellow.
Orange Light:
Height: 5.25in, 12.75cm
Health: Healthiest of all the plants. No yellow grass.
Normal Light:

Height: 5in, 12.5cm

Health: Least healthy of all the plants. Half of the amount of grass has yellow halfway up the
leaf.

My Conclusion:
Looking at our results, it is clear that the grass under the orange light grew the healthiest and blue light
grew the tallest. One way we know it is right is that the blue light grass grew much taller, but it also had
the second most yellow grass and the orange light was the healthiest, but it was shortest. We think this
happened because, though the blue light is a dark lamp color, it still produces light. Plants including
grass need light but also darkness. Another interesting that that happened was that the white light grass
was the shortest, it also had yellow halfway up most of its leaves. I think this was because the grass
reflected the color of the light that the grass did not absorb. In conclusion, it turns out that the blue and
the orange light grew the best. If I were to do this again, two things I would change would be the color of
the light, and the species of plant.

Expert Responses

Dear Luke,

The results clearly show that the plants grew very differently! Your introduction was good, trying to
understand how plants need chlorophyll to grow, and how the different wavelengths would influence
photosynthesis and growth. some of your hypotheses sounded like you were preferring yellow and
orange because it looked better/more soothing to humans. But, what would the plant like? What
wavelengths does chlorophyll absorb most? You mentioned that it does not absorb green, so in a future
experiment it might be good to try green light. The hypothesis would be that the plant would not grow.

I hope you liked doing your experiment. As I scientist, working in tropical rainforests, I am always am
curious about the plantys around me. and the ones in the understory only get 1% of the light at the top
of the canopy. And most of the light that makes it to the ground is green light. So, that makes it very
hard to grow.

Best of luck with future experiments!