Our experiment proved the hypothesis false. The wooden sticks submerged in ocean water were indeed more rigid and seemed in better condition that the wooden sticks submerged in river water. However the sticks that were submerged in fresh water became extremely flexible, proving harder to snap in half. As the sticks submerged in ocean water were more rigid, they proved easier to break for they provided more resistance against the downwards pull of the weight. This could be due to the fact that the salt in the water wore not only the bacteria away, but also the wood fibers, creating a harder but more fragile stick. Because of the faster break of the sticks, the ocean water submerged sticks proved to be less durable than ones submerged in fresh water. The fresh water sticks proved to be more durable, as the sticks became softer and more flexible, therefore becoming harder to break. The bend and give in the sticks allowed it to sustain more weight before breaking. Therefore, we can conclude that wood submerged in seawater is less durable than wood submerged in fresh water, as the salt wears away the wood more than expected.