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Botany Science Fair Project

Plant Pavlovian Conditioning

Hard
Plant Pavlovian Conditioning | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Can plants learn? We'll find out by testing if the Mimosa Pudica plant can be conditioned to respond to stimuli like animals do. We'll observe if the plant's leaves close when the temperature and light are changed.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the Mimosa Pudica plant will not respond to Pavlovian conditioning.

Method & Materials

You will grow 20 Mimosa Pudica plants in a plastic basin, keep them in a well-lit room for 12 hours and in darkness for the next 12 hours. The temperature of the room will be reduced from 25°C to 16°C and the light will be dimmed from bright to dark in 15 minutes.
You will need 20 Mimosa Pudica plants, an air conditioned room with dimmer light, a clock, and an assistant.

Results

The results showed that all 20 Mimosa Pudica plants did not shut their leaves when only the temperature of the room was reduced, without the light being dimmed. This proves that the hypothesis is true.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it tests if plants can be conditioned to respond to stimuli like animals do.

Also Consider

To improve the reliability and accuracy of the results, a larger sample of plants should be used. This science project may also be repeated, this time, by using animals like dogs or cats and food as the conditional stimulus.

Full project details

You can find additional information and details for this science fair project here. Have fun exploring!

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