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The Effect of Four Common Types of
Domestic Water on the Growth of Soybeans
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Researched by Josh M.
2005-06
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effect of four common
types of domestic water on the growth of soybeans: chlorinated
municipal water, un-softened well water, potassium salt softened water,
and sodium salt softened water.
I became interested in this idea because every summer I helped my mom
water our plants. She always told me not to water them with our
softened, chlorinated water. I often wondered what would
happen.
The information gained from this experiment could be very useful to
gardeners and farmers who irrigate with domestic water. It would
help them decide which type of water to use (or avoid) to help their
plants grow best.
HYPOTHESIS
My first hypothesis was that the potassium salt softened water would
result in the most plant growth in mass.
My second hypothesis was that the potassium salt softened water would
result in the most plant growth in height.
My third hypothesis was that the sodium salt softened water would
result in the least plant growth in mass.
My fourth hypothesis was that the sodium salt softened water would
result in the least plant growth in height.
My fifth hypothesis was that the un-softened well water would result in
less soybean growth in mass than potassium salt softened water, but
more than the chlorinated water.
My sixth hypothesis was that the un-softened well water would result in
less soybean growth in height than potassium salt softened water, but
more than the chlorinated water.
I based my first and second hypotheses on information I collected from
the Morton Salt website. The website stated, “Potassium is one of
the 16 elements necessary for plant growth. It also helps plants resist
disease and optimize moisture utilization.”
I based my third and fourth hypotheses on information I found from Penn
State College of Agricultural Sciences. In their website they
stated, “Calcium and magnesium compounds are the components that make
water hard. They are important nutrients for plants and sodium is not.
Softened water can also affect the soil structure for a potted plant.”
I based my fifth and sixth hypotheses on information I found at a
website created by Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences.
They stated, “If there is a source of un-softened water, use that water
for your plants. If you have a faucet in your water line before
the water softener, you can also use that tap as the source of
un-softened water for your plants.”
EXPERIMENT DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
• Date planted
• Depth planted in the soil
• Amount of water given to plants at any one time
• Amount of soil in each planting cup (1/4 of a cup)
• Type of soil
• 16 hours of light for all plants
• Distance of light above soil
The manipulated variable was the type of water used on the
soybeans.
The responding variables were height and mass of the soybeans.
To measure the responding variables I used a centimeter ruler to
determine height and a triple beam balance to measure
biomass.
MATERIALS
QUANTITY ITEM
DESCRIPTION
1
3cc. Syringe
2
Planting trays with 72 individual soil cells
1
Bag of potting soil
1
Automatic Timer Switch
4
Plastic Containers for the four types of water
4
Liters
Well water (un-softened)
4
Liters
Chlorinated water (un-softened)
4
Liters
Sodium salt softened water
4
Liters
Potassium salt softened water
1
Triple Beam Balance
PROCEDURES
1. Fill all 72 individual cells in a divided planting
tray with potting soil.
2. Repeat step 1 using another tray. So you
should have 2 trays altogether
3. Plant one soybean one centimeter deep in the soil
in each cell.
4. Divide the plant holders into four groups of 36.
5. Make labels (Sodium, Potassium, Chlorinated, and
Un-softened well water) one for each of the four sections.
6. Water the soybeans with the 3cc syringe but water
them with 5cc of water. Use only the type of water for that group.
7. Put the transparent cover on top of the plant
holders to act as a mini green house.
8. Every day, leave the lights on for 16 hours.
9. After 16 hours of light turn off the lights for 8
hours.
10. Look at the temperature in the room and record it
in a journal.
11. Once the sprouts have grown so big that they
touch the plastic covers, remove the covers.
12. Repeat step 5, except this time instead of using
5cc of water use 3cc.
13. If there are any sprouts, count them and record
the amount.
14. Repeat steps 6-14 until the experiment is
complete.
15. Once the experiment is finished, uproot each
plant one section at a time.
16. Rinse off the plant roots until there is no dirt
on them.
17. After all the dirt has been removed, measure the
height of each plant with a tape measure. Make sure to measure in
centimeters.
18. Record the heights. Add up all the
measurements and divide the total by how many plants there are to get
an average height. Round to 1 decimal place.
19. Now, place one of the four groups on a triple
beam balance to find the biomass of the watering group.
20. Divide the total weight (in grams) for the group
by how many plants there are in the group. That will be the
average. Round to 2 decimal places.
21. Repeat 19-20 with each of the 3 remaining groups.
RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to compare the effect of
four common types of domestic water on the growth of soybeans:
chlorinated municipal water, un-softened well water, potassium salt
softened water, and sodium salt softened water.
The results of the experiment were that the sodium salt soybeans grew
the most plants. But the potassium salt soybeans had the greatest
average in growth. The un-softened well water soybeans resulted
in the least plant growth. The potassium soybean group weighed
the most and the chlorinated water weighed the
least.
See the table and graph below.
CONCLUSION
My first hypothesis was that the potassium salt softened water would
result in the most plant growth in mass.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted, because
potassium water did result in the most plant growth in mass.
My second hypothesis was that the potassium salt softened water would
result in the most plant growth in height.
This hypothesis should be rejected, because it turned out that
un-softened well water resulted with the most plant growth in
height. Potassium salt softened watered soybeans had the second
to the most soybean plants.
My third hypothesis was that the sodium salt softened water would
result in the least plant growth in mass.
This hypothesis should be rejected, because the sodium softened watered
soybeans had the second to the most mass.
My fourth hypothesis was that the sodium salt softened water would
result in the least plant growth in height.
This hypothesis should be rejected, because sodium salt softened water
had the second to the least average of heights.
My fifth hypothesis was that the un-softened well water would result in
less soybean growth in mass than potassium salt softened water, but
more than the chlorinated water.
This hypothesis should be accepted, because un-softened well water was
less then potassium and more then chlorinated water.
My sixth hypothesis was that the un-softened well water would result in
less soybean growth in height than potassium salt softened water, but
more than the chlorinated water.
This hypothesis should be rejected, because un-softened well water
resulted in the most plant growth in height.
After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder if I used
a different type of plants like tomatoes or ornamental flowers would
the outcome be the same? I wonder if I used a more concentrated
potassium salt solution or a more concentrated sodium salt solution
would the outcome be the same?
If I were to conduct this project again I would definitely make sure
the soybeans had more light, preferably sunlight during the
summer. I’d use far more plants in each group. I’d test the
water to make sure it actually had some potassium or sodium salt
dissolved in it. I’d also grow the plants for many more
weeks.
Reaserch
Report
Introduction
Water pollution is a huge threat in society today. We use water
to grow crops. After the crops have developed we harvest the
food. If we happened to use polluted water on soybeans or other
crops, then those soybeans would not be healthy. If we eat
polluted food it could make us sick. If the crops grow poorly,
then the food supply would be too small.
Soybeans
The scientific name for the soybean is Glycine max. It is also
known as soya or soja. The soybean is in the Leguminosae
family. The pea is in the same family. The soybean is an
annual, which means the plant can only survive for one year.
The history of soybeans goes back many centuries. Soybeans were
probably one of the oldest crops raised by humans. Historians
believe that soybeans were first grown in Eastern Asia. In the
United States, soybeans were first processed into meal in 1911.
By 1941 the plant was mainly used for its seeds.
Soybeans are usually planted in late May or early June depending on the
climate. After 6-8 weeks, small flowers start to appear on the
plant. Short, fine hair like parts start to grow on the
plant. After another 2 weeks some of the flowers may produce
pods. If the plant succeeds in producing pods, then there should
be around 2 to 3 seeds in each pod. After the plant has fully
matured, the farmer harvests in the fall. A machine called a
combine cuts, threshes, and cleans the seeds. Then the farmers
sell the seeds to buyers.
Soybeans supply plenty of nutrition. A soybean crop that is grown
on one acre of land can provide 10 times as much protein as beef from
cattle raised on the same land. Soybeans provide more protein
than most vegetables and grains do. After processing, the soybean
contains around 40% protein. Beef and fish only have around 18%.
The United States grows more soybeans than any other country in the
world. Our nation alone produces about half the world’s
soybeans. There are around 75 million acres used for soybean
growth in the United States. The US produces over 2.5 billion
bushels of soybeans yearly. About 98% of soybeans in the United
States are commercial soybeans.
Soybeans are mainly used for meal and oil. They are made into
those products by a process called solvent extraction. The seeds
are first cleaned and dehulled by machines. Then rollers crush
the seeds into flakes. Crude oil is taken out of the flakes by a
solvent. After the oil is removed the flakes are called soy
meal. Soy meal is used in many products, such as feed for
animals, food for humans, and raw materials for industry.
Soybeans are the nation’s largest single source of vegetable oil and
protein meal for livestock.
There are around 100 diseases and pests that attack soybeans.
Diaporthe pod and stem blight are fungal diseases. They are
carried through the seeds. Once a plant is nearing maturity, the
diseases will attack the plant through the pods and stems. There
is a special fungicide that farmers/planters use to control this
disease.
Bacterial blight and bacterial pustule are only a few of the bacterial
diseases that can attack the soybean plant. They affect the plant
the worst in wet years. The bacterial diseases live in the
soil. They enter the healthy plants through the seeds.
Patches of the leaves will turn brown and then fall off.
There are many everyday pests around that could harm the soybean
plant. Common pests are the bean leaf beetle, soybean aphid, the
stink bug, and the velvet bean caterpillar.
Water
Water covers 70% of the earth’s surface. There are 360 million
cubic miles of water covering the earth. There are over 1
trillion gallons of water per cubic mile. Only 3% of the earth’s
water is fresh. So that means the other 97% is salty. Most
of the 3% is frozen in the polar ice caps.
The human body is about 2/3 water. Humans can live without food
for several weeks, but can live without water for barely 1 week.
If the body loses over 20% of its water, the person will die a painful
death. Humans need somewhere around 2.5 quarts of water every
day, although some of that can be provided by food that contains water.
The typical household uses more than 100 gallons of water every
day. That’s 700 gallons a week. It takes around 7 gallons
of water to flush a toilet, 20-30 gallons to take a bath, and each
minute under the shower is close to 5 gallons. To wash one day’s
worth of dishes it takes 15 gallons and it takes 40 gallons to wash
clothes in the washing machine. It takes 115 gallons to grow
enough wheat to make one loaf of bread.
Our nation uses 140 billion gallons of water a day for
irrigation. That’s enough water to fill a lake 5 miles long, 1
mile wide, and 130 feet deep. About 40% of all water in the US is
used for irrigation.
Soil
In soil, there are four main functions for plant growth. They are
Support, Oxygen, Ions, and Liquid. Soil is mainly used to support
the plant. It supplies the plant everything it needs to
survive. Over-compacting the soil will decrease the size of the
pores, so that means less room for the oxygen and liquids. After
planting is complete, watering the soil helps it settle.
Field soil consists of three parts; solids, water, and air. On
average field soil is 50% solids. The remaining 50% is filled up
with pores containing water and air. The pores resemble a maze of
tunnels. The tunnels let gasses flow in and out of the
soil. When the soil is dry that means the pores are filled with
air. When the soil is newly watered that means probably 85% of
the pores are filled with water.
Potting soil consists of 15% solids and 85% pores. Potting soil
is used for plants in pots or containers. The soil holds up to
70% water and 20% air after they have been watered. Potted plants
need a lot of water to survive because there isn’t as much soil in the
pot as there is in a field. You need to handle the potting soil
gently. If the soil gets packed then that’ll reduce the size of
the pores. That means less room for air and water.
Salt
A tiny amount of salt comes naturally in soil from the rain. The
salt is absorbed by the plant and provides nutrients.
Salt builds up in the soil sometimes making it impossible to grow
plants. Soil salinization is a form of soil pollution. All
waters contain dissolved salts. Mostly those types of salts are
good for plant health. In moist soil, salts don’t tend to build
up, but in dry lands the salts do tend to build up. Too much salt
in soils can cause many problems. Many farmers irrigate their
crop with water from underground where there is salt but not a lot of
it. Overly salted soil is easy to spot because there will be
small white crystals all over it.
Sodium salt can cause many problems to the plant and soil.
Different plants have different sodium tolerance. Sodium was
discovered in ancient Egypt and was known as natron. The symbol
Na for sodium comes from the Egyptian word. Sodium is the seventh
most common element in the universe. Sodium is one-thirtieth of
the earth’s crust. Humans use around a hundred million tons of
sodium compounds each year. Sodium is a soft, silvery metal that
can be obtained by passing an electric current through molten salt.
Sodium is found in many foods, such as milk, fat, or meats. Blood
is a saline solution. It is mostly water with salt dissolved in
it. One of the main reasons why humans need salt in the body is
to control the way water is taken up and expelled from the
organs. Salt also helps the nerve cells work.
Plants need potassium to grow. Soil usually contains potassium,
which helps plants grow better. Potassium is the twentieth most
common element in the universe and the seventh most common on earth.
Potassium is a very lightweight, soft, silvery metal. Potassium comes
from the word “potash”. The symbol K comes from the Latin word
“kalium”. Kalium comes from the Arabian word “alkali”. The
most common uses for potassium are glass making and fertilizers.
Potassium is a very common salt. It can be found in the sea,
rocks, and plants. The largest amount of potassium is in sea
water. There is half a kilogram of potassium in every cubic meter
of sea water. Potassium is also found in volcanic rocks.
The pink or white crystal in granite is a compound of potassium.
Potassium metal reacts violently when mixed with water.
It is healthier for plants to be given un-softened water.
Rainwater is good too. If using softened or salted water, pour a
good amount of un-softened water over the soil to clean it out.
Chlorine is common in water. It’s not the best choice of water
for plants though. It is a wise choice for pool water and
sometimes drinking water. It kills bacteria.
Plants
There are over 300,000 types of plants. There are over 250,000
that produce flowers. There are many forms, shapes and
sizes. Some can live for a season, or a year, or even centuries
like trees. Some plants can only live in deserts and some can
only live in swamps. Most plants have a greenish color due to
chlorophyll. They produce their food by a process called
photosynthesis. Most plants live in soil or some kind of dirt.
Roots have three main functions. They are used as an anchor for
the plants to stay in the soil which provides the water and
minerals. The roots grow tiny hairs. The little hairs suck
up the water. The root is also a part of the plant’s
transportation system. Xylem carries water, minerals, and
nutrients up from the soil and into the leaves. Phloem also
carries water up, but it is different from Xylem by taking the waste
down.
The stem is the main part of an above ground plant. A leaf
consists of a thin flat lamma supported by veins.
Photosynthesis is the process in which plants create food from water,
light and carbon dioxide. The plant absorbs energy from the sun
in the chloroplasts. That energy joins the water and carbon
dioxide to make a sugar, glucose. Glucose supplies energy for the
whole plant. Oxygen (waste) is released into the air. The
photosynthesis formula is 6 H2O + 6 CO2 -> C6H12O6 + 6 O2.
A seedling is when the seed first peeks out from underground. In
the first stage of germination the seed takes in water and the embryo
starts to use its food source stored in the seed.
Plants help humans survive. They provide many vital products such
as food, clothing, paper, fuels, plastic, many medicines, and
shelter. There are also many other plant products that are very
useful. They include perfumes, soaps, dyes, inks, paints, rubber,
rope, and alcohol. Plants contribute to our environment by
reducing carbon dioxide, creating oxygen, providing shade, reducing
soil erosion, and preventing flooding.
Summary
Water pollution is a mammoth threat in society today. We use
water to grow crops that are very useful in making foods, medicines,
and other products. If we used polluted water on those crops both
quantity and quality of output would suffer. Water pollution
needs to be stopped and there are many ways to prevent it.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Appelman, Evan H. “Chlorine” The World Book
Encyclopedia. 2004.
- Billiet, Paul and Burchill, Shirley. “How
Plants Survive Winter.” The Open Door Web Site.
http://www.saburchill.com/ans02/chapters/chap035.html December 14, 2005
- Harper, J.E. “Soybeans” The World Book
Encyclopedia. 2004.
- Hershey, David R. Plant Biology Science
Projects. Toronto, Canada: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, 1995.
3, 11-13, 16, 89-90
- Keinath, Thomas M. “Water” The World Book
Encyclopedia. 2004.
- Knapp, Brian. Sodium and Potassium, Danbury CT:
Grolier Educational, 1997. 20
- Shriver, Duward F. “Potassium” The World Book
Encyclopedia. 2004.
- Penn State College of Agricultural Science.
“House Plant Care In Winter.” Cooperative Extension in Forest
County. December 15, 2005.
<http://forest.extension.psu.edu/horticulture/houseplant.htm>
- The Visual Dictionary of Plants. New York, New
York: Dorling Kindersley, Inc, 1992. 6, 26-33, and 46
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the following people for helping make my project
possible:
• My parents for supplying me with all the materials
that I needed.
• My grandparents, Frank and Kay, for supplying me
with a room for my plants, and for supplying me with the sodium and
chlorinated city waters.
• My grandparents, Jan and Bill, for supplying me
with the un-softened type of water.
• Mr. Newkirk for supplying me with the potassium
water and for helping me with my project.
• Mrs. Viernes for helping me with all the questions
I needed answered.
• My best friend, Cody, for helping me along the way
and encouraging me every time he had the chance.
• Derek for helping me with all of my tables and
graphs.
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