We've all seen pinecones - both open ones and closed ones. Ever wonder what makes a pinecone open? I never had until I decided to try a craft online that would lace pinecones with chemicals to make a campfire's flames change colors (you can find a link to that craft here). In doing that experiment, I collected a bunch of open pinecones from under a tree in a nearby park. As I followed the instructions I discovered that my pinecones closed up! I was not expecting this because I had never thought about what makes a pinecone open. You'll find out in today's experiment. Materials:
Kid Tip: Pinecones can have sharp points and have a lot of tree sap which is very sticky. Wear gardening gloves if you have them. Parent Tip: A fun extension is to gather both open and closed pinecones and take them apart to see what's inside. You should be able to find the seeds of the tree which do not fall out of the pine cone until it has opened up. How To Link: Here is the link to the instructions. Thanks to Lemon Lime Adventures for this activity. Explanation: When pinecones form on the tree they are "fed" by the tree and therefore have a lot of water in them. When pinecones fall off the tree, they are no longer being "fed" and begin to dry out. When the water leaves the pinecone, the pinecone tissues shrink (because they are no longer filled with water) and that causes the pinecone to open. If you put the pinecone in water, the tissues re-fill with water and they swell - closing the pinecone. Share Your Experience: If you do this experiment feel free to post about your experience in the comments section below. Happy Sciencing!
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You Can Continue to Earn the Patches over the SUmmer!
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Every school day I will post a new experiment for you to try at home. Some may be familiar to you - as they are my favorites from class - but most will be experiments I found on the web that have readily available materials. Happy Sciencing! Earn a Patch
Sunol Glen Students - Complete an additional 10 experiments (20 total) from this site and I will send you this patch: Parents - just email me when students have completed a challenge, no proof required. Categories |