Activity Many farmers and gardeners compost their plant and animal waste. The living material naturally decays in compost bins,
forming a dirt-like substance that's rich in nutrients. in
The next season, farmers use
this substance as a natural fertilizer for
their crops.
A biology student has grown tomato plants for several years. Until now,
he used an artificial fertilizer formulated for
tomato plants. This fertilizer caused his plants to grow faster and taller than they grew in unfertilized soil. The student
wants to know whether using natural compost will cause his tomato plants to grow faster and taller than his artificial
fertilizer.
Answer the following questions to
plan an investigation using the steps of the scientific method and help the student find
the answer to his question.