The Observation of Decaying Strawberries

Lessons about my subject of study 

Strawberries, like many soft plant materials, start decomposing immediately once they are lefts in the open in non-refrigerated conditions. The berries start becoming soft on the second day, and by the fourth day, the sign of mold growth starts to become apparent. Molds totally cover the berries by the end of the fifth day. 

Claims regarding my object of study 

Strawberries quickly decompose when they are left in the open in warm or hot conditions. 

The strawberries become soft because the living chemical in them start to break due to the warm conditions. 

When the strawberries become soft due to the breakup of chemicals within the berries, they become suitable substrates for mold which start growing on the fourth day. 

Temperature is the main cause of the decomposition, and thus the amount of heat that they are exposed determines when they start to decompose and how fast they decompose. 

The appearance of molds signals the start of the rot. 

Once they decompose, they are no longer nutritious and cannot be eaten. 

Evidence from my observational logbook that could be used to support those claims 

The pictures of the decomposition process that show how the berries decomposed on different days. 

Introduction 

The purpose of this study was to observe the decomposition process in strawberries. Strawberries, like all other plant life, quickly decompose when not preserved properly. Therefore, understand the decomposing process in strawberries can effectively help in prevising strawberries. The study used the observational approach. 

Hypothesis: When stored in hot conditions, strawberries quickly become soft and start to decompose. 

Methodology 

The study used an observational method. The study subject was observed, and all observations recorded in the observation log. Fresh strawberries were placed on a plate and left in the open in warm temperature. The strawberries were then observed for five days, and all observations that were made were recorded. The observations were done twice every day and pictures of the berries taken. The softness of the berries was also observed and recorded. 

Description of the observation 

The berries were fresh when they were placed on the plate. On the second day, they started to become soft and a change in the surface texture of the berries was noted. Also, the color of the strawberries started changing, as seen in the pictures. A touch on the berries also confirmed the softness. The softness and the discoloration kept growing each day. On day one the berries were deep red. The color started turning dark red on the second day. On the third day, molds started growing, and the berries were darker than they were on the second day. The molds gradually grew through the fourth day giving the berries black and grayish covering. By the end of the fifth day, the mold had covered the entire strawberries. The looked greyish and black due to the color of the molds. The berries were at the softest point once they got engulfed by the molds. They became unsightly and were inedible. 

Speculation 

In light of the data collected through the observation of the strawberries, the hypothesis was held. The hypothesis “When stored in hot conditions strawberries quickly become soft and start to decompose,” was correct. The decomposition was observed and recorded by the photographic evidence available. It is the decomposition of the strawberries and the observed changes that confirmed the hypothesis. Future studies on the decomposition of the strawberries could check the influence of temperature on the decomposition process. The study could also focus on the chemical changes inside the berries during and the nature of the molds that grow on them. Studies could also focus on whether the types of molds that grow on the berries arise due to the nature of the nutrients that are present in the decaying berries.