Hooked on Science: Hairy potato

Have you ever wondered how a seed sprouts into a plant? Grab a few ingredients from around the house for a lesson in germination.

Materials

* Potato

* Spoon

* Grass seeds

* Cotton balls

* Knife

* Saucer

* Water

Instructions

STEP 1: Using the knife, cut both ends off the potato.

STEP 2: Use the spoon to create a hollow space at one end of the potato.

STEP 3: Place three cotton balls inside the hollow space.

STEP 4: Sprinkle grass seeds over the cotton balls.

STEP 5: Place the potato in a saucer of water and watch.

Explanation

After being dormant, the seeds will germinate and sprout grass, creating a hairy potato.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website Hooked On Science at hooked onscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.