Biomass Experiment

This activity will give you a greater understanding of how biomass from landfills can be used as an energy source.

You will need:

20 cooked pinto beans
2 sandwich bags, one of which can be tightly sealed
A warm or sunny spot indoors

Put 10 of the cooked pinto beans into a sandwich bag and seal it tightly. Put the other 10 beans into a second sandwich bag and leave it open.

1. Predict. What will happen if you do not open the sealed bag for a week? What differences do you expect to find, if any, between the sealed and unsealed bags?

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2. Investigate. Put both bags in a warm spot where they can be left for seven days.

3. Observe the bags at the end of the week. Record any changes in the size or shape of the beans.

4. Conclude. Were your predictions accurate? Why or why not? What do you think happened inside the bags? How does this relate to using biomass as a source of energy?