Problem: Can roots hold soil together?

Hypothesis: Yes, we think the roots will hold the soil together because the roots are strong.

Materials:
• a package of radish seeds
• three paper cups
• 500mL of rich soil
• water

Procedure:
1. Put six seeds in a jar. Cover them with water for two to three days. When they begin to sprout they are called seedlings.
2. Put soil in three paper cups. Fill each cup until it is three quarters full.
3. Label the first cup, Water, label the second cup, Control, and the third cup, Radish Seeds.
4. After three weeks peel away the cups from the soil

Observations:
1. On January 5 we started this experiment. We filled three cups with soil. Cup 1 we labelled Control because we are not going to put anything in it but soil. Cup 2 we labelled Water because we are just going to put soil and water in it. Cup 3 we labelled Radish Seeds because we are going to put soil, water, and radish seeds and water in it. We watered Cup 2 and 3.
2. We continued to water Cup 2 and Cup 3 over the next few days.
3. On January 9 we began to see seedlings sprout.
4. On the fifth day of the experiment the radish seedlings began to grow above the top of the cup. Two of the radish seedlings were about 5cm tall and three of the radish seedlings were about 2cm tall.
5. Over the next 10 days we continued to water both the Water cup and the Radish Seeds cup.
6. On January 27 we peeled away the cups from the soil. The Control cup soil did not hold together at all. The Water cup soil held together a little bit. The Radish Seeds cup held together completely. The shape of the soil from the Radish Seeds was that of the cup.

Conclusions and Discussions:
1. This experiment shows us that roots can hold soil in place. This would be important for people who live in areas where there is a lot of wind. They could plant trees and the roots would prevent them from losing their property due to soil erosion.
2. Because roots hold the soil in place, beaches where the sand is being blown away planting grasses would help maintain the sand on fragile ecosystems from being eroded away.