Scientific testing of the Five-second Rule

FALLS VILLAGE — Megan Williams explained her examination of the “Five-second Rule,� familiar to anyone who has ever dropped something edible on the floor, only to snatch it back up before something nasty gets on it.

Is it true?

“It depends,� she said, exercising scientific caution.

Williams, a sophomore at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went over her experiment with Tara Jo Holmberg, a biology professor at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted. Holmberg was one of the judges at the annual science fair at Housatonic on May 19.

Holmberg said judges look to see if the experiments follow scientific method, if the information is complete, and how well the projects are presented.

“Do the ideas listed in the hypothesis make it into the conclusion?� asked Holmberg.

Williams tested the Five-second Rule on a variety of foods, including an Oreo cookie; a cracker (Saltine); a slice of bread (whole wheat ).

Also plummeting to the linoleum test floor: a strawberry, an apple, a slice of ham and a restaurant-style Tostito chip.

The 2009 science fair results

Freshmen

1 — Katy Tregaskis and Michael Tabor (Rubens Tube)

2 — Kaelan Paton and John Hare (Does carbon dioxide affect air temperature?)

3 — Emma Okell (Fighting the flood)

Biology

1 — Morgan Lamb (Are you only bringing home groceries?)

2 — (Tie) Cassidy Hammond (Effects of drinks on an athlete’s performance) and Hannah Schiffer (Size vs. flexibility)

3 — Ryan Long (What is the ideal soil pH for a bean plant?)

Chemistry

1 — Rachel Freund and Brook Kallstrom (Pedal for power)

2 — (Tie) Liz Greco (Beat the bottle) and Colby Pastre and Nick Dignacco (Here comes the sun)

Physics

1 — Justin Marrott  (How does pressure affect the penetrating power of a nail gun?)

2 — Tim Kruger (How do stitches affect the speed of a baseball?)

3 — Julia Finkelstein (How do different microphones affect amplitude?)