Broccoli and alfalfa seeds (and several other) sprouts are popular as diet enhancements. They can be grown
quickly in jars covered with wire mesh or cheesecloth and different kinds of sprouting kits are also available.
The idea for this course-based undergraduate research experience i(CURE) in a general biology lab course was
to initially investigate the best conditions for seed germination. Vernier CO2 gas sensors were used to collect
data on the rate of gas production by food seeds and beans (purchased cheaply at a grocery store) during
germination. Students first generated hypotheses as to what would occur with the seeds under various
conditions such as temperature and light. The Vernier graphical analysis software also calculates the slope of
the CO2 production line, which, in most cases, had a correlation coefficient of one (time vs CO2 production was
correlated in a linear fashion, at least during the 10-minute testing time period). The students also determined
if germination percentages were correlated to CO2 production rates.
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