Science Experiment #3: What Happens to Pine Cones in Water?

We did this experiment the first week of April.  Why so long putting this up?  My camera, with the pictures I took, is missing.  I'm beginning to suspect Scooby-Doo might of thrown it out...

If I find my camera I'll update this post, if not, well... we're not doing this experiment again.

So, in case you did not know pine cones have a natural defense built in to protect their seeds from falling out too soon.  Wind, animals, etc. knock pine cones off of trees, but the seeds are not always ready to fall out.  Maybe it's the wrong time of year, maybe the seeds aren't ready yet, whatever.  So, pine cones close themselves up until they are ready to drop their seeds.

The library has a huge tree in front that regularly drops pine cones, and Optimus Prime and Bumblebee like giving them to me as presents.  So, when faced with over two dozen pine cones in our home I was happy to find a use for them.

Supplies:

• A bowl
• Open pine cones
• Towels

Place the pine cones into the bowl and cover with water.  Walk away for an hour, come back.  What you will find is the pine cones have completely closed up.  Why?  They don't want their seeds drowning and becoming completely useless.  So, they close up to save them.

Then, take the pine cones out of the water and put them on the towel to dry.  As they dry out over the next couple of days they will completely open up again, because they now know it is safe for the seeds.

Pretty neat, huh?  This experiment was by far our simplest, but my boys loved it and that's honestly all that matters.