The Effect of Different Liquids on Plant Growth
By Michael Rhodes
Hypothesis If I test the impact of Dr. Pepper, milk, water, soda water, and orange juice on a plants growth, then the soda water will make it grow the most. Variables Independent Variable: liquid Dependent Variable: growth of plant Constants: size and material of pot, amount of soil, amount of light, amount of liquid, Research
Plants are producers that get their energy from the sun and convert it to oxygen and sugar using a process called photosynthesis. This process is essential to all living things survival. Without photosynthesis there would be no oxygen and we would all die. The topic my of experiment is on how plants will react differently to being fed different liquids. The roots would soak up the liquid (ex. Dr. Pepper) and bring it through their roots to two tubes called the xylem and the phloem. They then take the liquid up the stem and distribute it to other parts of the plants.
In previous experiments by other people soda killed the plant, milk made it grow and water made it grow the most. I am going to try those liquids and two others. I am also going to try seltzer water and orange juice. The colored substances will probably change the color of the plant while the clear ones will stay the same. One other liquid I won’t try is apple juice. Other people say that it will make it grow a little.
Procedure
1. Use One Pansy plant per liquid. Attempt to cut them all to an equal starting height.
2. Every day water each plant 50 milliliters of the liquid it is representing
3. Every week record your observations. Not only height but other things different from the week before.
4. After four weeks measure the height and growth of the plants and decide which one grew the most. Results
Liquids Starting Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Dr. Pepper 10cm Starting to die Dead, the Dr. Dead, total Mold forming Pepper went growth 0cm on sides of pot right through Orange Juice 14.5cm No apparent Same height, Plant barely growth starting to alive total grow mold on growth 0cm the base of plant Milk 12cm Growing, dirt is growing Starting to Dead total wet even 2 smell and turn growth 1cm days after I yellow watered it Soda Water 10cm Growing Growing more Steady growth, In total: no rapidly Has awful growth in aphids height. Growing new leaves and stems Water 11cm growing Steady growth steady Shrunk 1cm is Starting to see growing new new leaves and leaves and buds. stems Conclusion
None of the plants grew in height, but the soda water and the water plants grew new leaves and buds. The dr. pepper and the orange juice made mold grow on the soil and on the pot, likely killing the plant. The milk plant had an awful smell and did not grow. Only water and soda water plants survived the four weeks.
In all, the soda water and water ended in the same height and they both had new leaves and buds. Both of these plants tied. My hypothesis was correct.
Bibliography
Works Cited
"All About Plants." Oracle ThinkQuest Library. Web. 03 Nov. 2010.
Web. 03 Nov. 2010.
"Biology4Kids.com: Plants: Xylem and Phloem." Rader's BIOLOGY 4 KIDS.COM. Web. 03 Nov.
2010.
Cochrane, Jennifer. Plant Ecology. New York: Bookwright, 1987. Print.
Tanacredi, John T., and John Loret. Experiment Central. Understanding Scientific Principles
through Projects. Detroit: U-X-L, 2000. Print.