What happens when you seal a piece of bread inside a damp plastic bag for five days? The warm moisture creates a perfect home for fungi. Fuzzy colonies start to appear in as little as three days.
You place bread or another food item on a damp paper towel inside a sealed sandwich bag. The bag stays in a warm spot out of direct sunlight. Each day you check for new colonies and record their color and size.
Some fungi grow fast. One common mold called Rhizopus can cover the entire slice in just two days. You can also compare different substrates like bread versus carrots.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that molds and bacteria will grow in a moist chamber.
Seal a piece of bread on a damp paper towel inside a warm plastic bag, and fuzzy colonies can start to appear in as little as three days. One common mold called Rhizopus can cover an entire slice in just two days. Each day you check for new colonies and record their color and size.
Mold needs a surface to land on and feed from. In this experiment, you place a slice of bread or another food item on a damp paper towel inside a sealed sandwich bag. As the warm moisture builds up, fungi start to colonize the surface — sometimes within just three days. You can also compare different surfaces like bread versus carrots to see which one mold prefers.
Method & Materials
You will make a moist chamber by placing a damp towel in a plastic bag, adding a slice of bread or other substrate, and sealing the bag.
You will need bread, sandwich bags with a tie, fold top or "zip lock", a marker to label the bags, and damp, not wet, paper towels.
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After a few days, you will be able to observe the growth of molds and bacteria in your own moist chamber. You may even find a fast-growing fungus called the Galloping Grey Ghost (Rhizopus stolonifer)!
Why do this project?
This science project is unique because it allows you to explore the world of fungi in a simple and fun way.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include trying different kinds of bread or other substrates, or comparing the growth of molds and bacteria on bread versus carrots.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
