Things Needed
1. 2-3 unripe tomatoes
2. 1 apple
3. A paper bag
Directions
1. Take the unripe tomatoes and the apple, and put them together in a paper bag.
2. Keep the bag in a cool, dark place.
3. Check regularly for the changes in the colour of the tomatoes.
4. Soon, in a few days’ time, you will notice that the tomatoes have turned red and ripened.
How does this work?
Green tomatoes (unripe ones) generally take time to ripen. But, when an apple is placed with the tomatoes, the process of ripening is faster. This happens because of the presence of ethylene gas. Ethylene gas is a plant hormone which regulates the growth and development of the plants. Many fruits, including apples and tomatoes, produce this gas, which when placed near any other fruit, accelerates the ripening process. In this case, the ethylene gas released by the apple helps the tomatoes to ripen at a faster rate.