Association for Biology Laboratory Education

The Radish Seedling Hypothesis
 

Pliny A. Smith

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2019, Volume 40

Abstract

Nearly all plants need light to survive; however, what about germination of seeds? Experience shows that many introductory biology students falsely assume a seed will not sprout without a source of light. This laboratory uses radish seed germination to teach students about the scientific method, development of good hypotheses, how to test a hypothesis, and what conclusions can be made from experiments. The laboratory is inexpensive, very simple to set up, and allows a student to learn many skills they will need as a biologist.

Keywords:  hypothesis, germination, experimental design, laboratory reports

The Ohio State University (2018)