Blog 5b: Science Fair Proposal

1. What is your topic?
Wood Working

2. What is the driving problem behind your experiment and the quote by an expert to support that problem? (Expert citation must be MLA format.)

"Wood is a hygroscopic material, which means it naturally takes on and give off water to balance out with its surrounding environment. Wood can safely absorb large quantities of water before reaching moisture content levels that will be inviting for decay fungi. "
&
Wood shrinks/swells when it loses/gains moisture below its fiber saturation point. This natural behavior of wood is responsible for some of the problems sometimes encountered when wood dries.

"Moisture and Wood." Moisture and Wood. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2012
<http://www.globalwood.org/tech/tech_moisture.htm>.
3. What is your hypothesis? (Must be in If-Then form.)

"If the weight of the same size piece of wood is heavier, then the wood will absorb more water."


4. Write a paragraph summary of how you will perform the experiment.  Include the tools you plan on using.

Tools I maybe using:

• Water
• 3-5 different types of wood
• 3-5 same size pieces of wood (lighter)
• 3-5 same size pieces of wood (heavier)
• 3-5 buckets
• A saw
• Measuring tape
• Scale to weigh (in grams)
• plastic bags

For this experiment, I will be trying to prove my hypothesis saying that if a certain wood type (such as redwood, pine, etc.) is heavier , it will absorb more water as suppose to the same type of wood, but weighs less. I will do this experiment by cutting two different size pieces of wood (of the same type) one being heavier then the other, weighing the two pieces of wood, and then put them in a bucket of water for 1-3 days. I will record their weight about 3-5 times a day so I can record as much data as possible. I will be also be putting plastic bags over the buckets of water to see how much moisture is collected just as a side experiment perhaps. But the primary experiment consists of me trying to find out if a heavier piece (of the same type of wood) will ONE) absorb more water if it is heavier as suppose to it being lighter and TWO) which TYPE of wood absorbs the most water.

5. Select one of the following Project Categories for your experiment:
Plant Biology & Physiology

Blog 5a: Problem Statement

Content: 
1) Woodworking

2) Problem in your topic.  What will you do once you solve the problem?

One problem in my topic is finding out how wood can be better resistant to water, or different environments. Which wood types are best for water use, or for the beach things like that so I would like to find out which wood or wood finishes work best against water and will absorb the least amount of water. Once I solve this problem, I'll be able to expand my woodworking skills and know how to make furniture that can resist water.

3) Problem in your topic.  What will you do once you solve the problem?

Another problem is finding out which woods are the strongest and lightest for building something. It's hard to find a strong type of wood that is light and is strong enough to with stand a lot. Weather its natural wood or treated wood or different types of wood. Once i solve this, I would be able to gain even more knowledge about woodworking so I can build very strong, light weight pieces of furniture or really any thing such as a chair, a small boat, a prop, what ever it maybe.