VanCleave's Science Fun

Your Guide to Science Projects, Fun Experiments, and Science Research

Earthworms: Food Web

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Question: What kind of food web are earthworms part of? Answer: Earthworms basically get their nutrition from fungi and bacteria. In turn, earthworms promote the activity of these organisms by shredding and increasing the surface area of organic matter so that it is more available to these small organisms. Earthworms are invertebrates, which means they […]

Earthworms: Recyclers

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Question: Why are Earthworms important? Answer: Earthworms Churn the Soil and Make it Porous As earthworms eat their way through soil, they break up hardened soil. Earthworms Improve Water Infiltration Rates The maze of tunnels create as earthworms eat their way through soil allows water as well as air to better mix with the soil. […]

Earthworms: Eyes

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Question: Do earthworms have eyes? Answer: Earthworms don’t have eyes, but they do move away from light. Earthworms can and do respond to light because they have light-sensitive cells scattered in their outer skin, especially at their anterior (front-head end) These cells send messages to the earthworm’s brain, which specializes in directing body movement in […]

Earthworm: Size

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Annelids (ringed worms) range in size. The Giant Earthworms, of which Michrochaetus rappi is the largest. This worm’s average length is 54 inches (1.36 m) and largest recorded 22 ft (6.7 m) with a diameter of 0.8 inches (2 cm). The smallest Annelid known to science is Chaetogaster annandalai which reaches a length of only […]

Earthworm: Locomotion Model

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A paper fan opens and closes in much the same way that an earthworm moves. If you hold one side of the paper fan and pull the other side outward, the pleated paper opens as it stretches out. This models the motion of an earthworm as it stretches forward when moving from one place to […]

Earthworm: Locomotion Model

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A Slinky is a coil that climbs down an incline. The motion of the coils are a good model for the motion of an earthworm. First the front slinky coils stretch forward, and then rear coils are pulled forward. The video shows different ways that a slinky can move. Note that you have to get […]

Earthworms: Locomotion

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Question: How do earthworms move without legs? Answer: First watch the video, and then read my answer and check out the earthworm activities below. Earthworms are invertebrates, which means they do not have a backbone. In fact, they don’t have any kind of bones, legs, eyes, or teeth. They feel wet, slimy, and squishy. While […]

Earthworms: Air Displacement

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Question: Why do earthworms come to the surface after a big rain? Answer: If there is a lot of rain, the rain water not only fills the burrows of earthworms but also fills the spaces between rocks and particles of soil. In other words, the rain water displaces the air between the rocks and soil […]