We know that if the seeds are planted in a suitable medium and provided with ideal germinating conditions of water, oxygen and warmth they should show sprouts within 6-14 days.
We also know that the seedlings within the seed coat are in a dormant state and are highly resistant to damage from the impact of temporary conditions which are unfavourable for germination.
A seed's resistance to damage from exposure to environmental extremes depends upon the intensity of the extreme condition and the duration of the exposure.
The tomato seeds used in this project, 9478 F1 Hybrid, have been supplied by Heinz Canada. Your class will receive approximately 60 tomato seeds - 30 seeds in each of the following two groups:
The size and hardiness of tomato seeds make them important candidates for the Mars life support system for the mission team. The discovery that tomato seeds are damaged by exposure to conditions such as those found on board the International Space Station (or a vehicle proceeding from Earth to Mars) would be a fatal blow to this aspect of the mission plan. What predictions can we make about the results of the Tomatosphere experiment?
| Prediction | Treated Seeds (simulating aerocapture) |
|---|---|
| No effect: Seeds germinate the same as the control group. | |
| No seeds killed, but some are slower to germinate. | |
| Some seeds killed, but germinate at the same rate. | |
| Some seeds killed, and some are slower to germinate. | |
| Most seeds killed, few (or none) germinate. | |
| Other |