Law of Conservation of Mass Have you ever wondered why certain things decompose faster than others? I was interest in doing this project because I’ve always wondered why certain things decompose faster than others, and why they decompose. For my science fair project I want to find out why what types of decomposition there are, and how the process of decomposition works. I like to observe the tiny things in life, and why it works, or why it happens, and I feel like I could gain some knowledge on biodegradable, compostable, and decomposable objects. I believe that learning more about biodegradable, compostable, and decomposable objects may help to explain the law of conservation of mass. There are many types of decomposition. There is anaerobic
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Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi help the process of decomposition happen (The Science of Composting). There are also macro-organisms, such as centipedes, worms, snails, and even spiders (The Science of Composting). Oxygen is needed for microbes to try to decompose waste efficiently; it wont stink as bad in the end if the area is kept well aerated (Chapter 1, The Decomposition Process). If oxygen levels are lower than 5 percent, it will cause the pile to go anaerobic, meaning it will get smelly and gross (Chapter 1, The Decomposition Process). If there is a change in temperature the aerobic bacteria could end up dying (The Science of Composting). Due to changes in moisture, oxygen, and acidity can make the bacteria become inactive and eventually end up dying off (The Science of Composting). The aerobic bacteria are the most important decomposers; they are so abundant you would need about 25,000 of them, end to end, to barely make an inch (The Science of …show more content…
Biodegradable means an object is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms (What is Biodegradable? Definition and Meaning). Biodegradable materials include food scraps, wool, human and animal waste, and manufactured products based by natural materials like paper, and oil based soaps (What is Biodegradable? Definition and Meaning). A plastic bag, like a grocery bag, can take up to 20 years to decompose fully (How Long Does It Take For Trash To Decompose). Plastic bottles and tubs take almost a whopping 400 or more years to decomposed compared to different foods, i.e. apples take about 2 to 3 weeks to fully decompose (How Long Does It Take For Trash To Decompose). Hard plastic bags take about 400 to 500 years to decompose (In a landfill: How Long Does Trash Really Last). The downside of plastic disintegrating and decomposing is that when it does, it leaks toxic chemicals into the soil, drinking water and ground water (How Long Does It Take For Trash To Decompose). Aluminum cans take up to 200 years to decompose, and newspapers take about 4 to 8 weeks or longer (In a landfill: How Long Does Trash Really
Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi help the process of decomposition happen (The Science of Composting). There are also macro-organisms, such as centipedes, worms, snails, and even spiders (The Science of Composting). Oxygen is needed for microbes to try to decompose waste efficiently; it wont stink as bad in the end if the area is kept well aerated (Chapter 1, The Decomposition Process). If oxygen levels are lower than 5 percent, it will cause the pile to go anaerobic, meaning it will get smelly and gross (Chapter 1, The Decomposition Process). If there is a change in temperature the aerobic bacteria could end up dying (The Science of Composting). Due to changes in moisture, oxygen, and acidity can make the bacteria become inactive and eventually end up dying off (The Science of Composting). The aerobic bacteria are the most important decomposers; they are so abundant you would need about 25,000 of them, end to end, to barely make an inch (The Science of …show more content…
Biodegradable means an object is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms (What is Biodegradable? Definition and Meaning). Biodegradable materials include food scraps, wool, human and animal waste, and manufactured products based by natural materials like paper, and oil based soaps (What is Biodegradable? Definition and Meaning). A plastic bag, like a grocery bag, can take up to 20 years to decompose fully (How Long Does It Take For Trash To Decompose). Plastic bottles and tubs take almost a whopping 400 or more years to decomposed compared to different foods, i.e. apples take about 2 to 3 weeks to fully decompose (How Long Does It Take For Trash To Decompose). Hard plastic bags take about 400 to 500 years to decompose (In a landfill: How Long Does Trash Really Last). The downside of plastic disintegrating and decomposing is that when it does, it leaks toxic chemicals into the soil, drinking water and ground water (How Long Does It Take For Trash To Decompose). Aluminum cans take up to 200 years to decompose, and newspapers take about 4 to 8 weeks or longer (In a landfill: How Long Does Trash Really