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How to Keep Petri Dishes Warm

Petri dish projects are popular science fair experiments in which young scientists grow bacteria in a dish of agar, a gelatinous substance that allows bacteria to grow without being eaten by it. The final process of this experiment is to let the bacteria grow in a warm environment at 100 degrees Fahrenheit for at least a few days. One unprofessional but common method of doing this is to let the petri dish sit on a windowsill or in a warm cabinet, but a more reliable method is to create a small incubator.

Things You'll Need

Aquarium tank
Heavyweight plastic
Tape
Small lamp
Light bulb
Thermometer

Instructions

- 1
  Arrange your aquarium so the opening faces to the side, not the top.
- 2
  Cut your heavy plastic so it is wider than the opening of the aquarium. Cut one of the shorter sides to be approximately 2 inches longer than the actual opening so you can use it as a makeshift door. Tape the other three sides.
- 3
  Place your small lamp inside the aquarium with the cord coming out under a plastic edge.
- 4
  Tape your thermometer to a side so you can read it from outside of the aquarium.
- 5
  Place your petri dishes in the aquarium for as long as is needed.

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