|
Effect
of Acid Rain on the Biomass of Radishes |
|
Researched by Kaitlin B.
|
|
PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of acid rain on the biomass of radishes.
I became interested in this idea when my family started to plant a garden. We watered, fertilized and weeded the plants. Not all of the plants grew. They died within a week or two. I wonder it could have been caused by acid rain. My parents also told me once how the rain may be affecting the crops. They told me about some chemicals that get in rain.
The information gained from this experiment could help gardeners and farmers with their crops. It could also help warn those who might contribute to acid rain, such as, factories, truck-drivers, and others who drive automobiles.
HYPOTHESIS
My first hypothesis was that the plant’s biomass would be less as the water pH decreased (became more acidic).
My second hypothesis was that the survival rate of the radishes would decrease as the pH decreased.
I based my hypotheses on a book “Acid Rain” by Gail B. Stewart. It stated, “In the last twenty years, rain has been associated with other, less pleasant ideas. Scientist, especially those who study the environment, has found that not all rain and snow are pure. In whatever form, much of the water that comes from the sky is laced with deadly chemicals that turn into acid. The acid builds up in lakes and rivers. It kills the fish and insects that live in the water. Acid rain has also damaged many of our forests. It is harmful to some crops. There is also more and more evidence that acid rain is hazardous to human beings.”
EXPERIMENT
DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
• The number of radishes in each group (36).
• Number of seeds in each cell (2).
• The amount of liquid given to each plant.
• When each plant is watered when needed.
• The depth the seed is planted in the soil (1 cm).
• The distance each light is from the ground (30cm).
• The amount of time each plant gets light (14 hr 6:00am-8:00pm).
• The temperature each plant grows at (76ºf, 24°c).
The manipulated variable was the pH level in the water given to the different groups of plants.
The responding variable was the plant growth (mass) of the radishes.
To measure the responding variable, I used a triple beam balance to weigh the plants after they were uprooted.
MATERIALS
| QUANTITY |
ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 288 |
Early Scarlet GLobe radish
seeds used (144 for experiment) |
| 4 |
Syringes (12 ml) |
| 2 |
"Easy Grow" planters (72
cells) |
| 2 |
Bags of potting soil |
| 2 |
Fluoresent Lights and
fictures |
| 1 |
Triple beam balance |
| 1 |
Greenhouse (L76cmx W601cmx H86cm) |
| 4 |
Plastic bottles |
| 4 |
paper bowls |
| 1 |
Light Timer |
| 1 |
Pencil marked at 1 cm |
PROCEDURES
I. Prepare soil in planting containers
A Put enough
soil in each planter cell, evenly, so that each cell has soil up to the
top.
B Shake planter and tamp it on a counter so that the soil is loosely packed.
C Sprinkle more soil on the cells so that there is soil until the planter cells are filled to the rim.
D Put water in a paper bowl and pour water in each cell. Water each planter cell individually, so they are slightly soaked.
E Repeat this step if soil is not fully wet.
F Add more soil until cell is filled to the rim of the planter.
G Repeat steps above for the other trays that you may have.
II. Plant Radish seeds in planterB Shake planter and tamp it on a counter so that the soil is loosely packed.
C Sprinkle more soil on the cells so that there is soil until the planter cells are filled to the rim.
D Put water in a paper bowl and pour water in each cell. Water each planter cell individually, so they are slightly soaked.
E Repeat this step if soil is not fully wet.
F Add more soil until cell is filled to the rim of the planter.
G Repeat steps above for the other trays that you may have.
A Mark a pencil
1cm from the tip.
B Make 2 small holes in soil diagonal from each other to the 1 cm mark.
C Put 1 seed in each hole.
D Put each seed into its hole, 1cm deep.
E Cover the seeds and pat the dirt lightly onto the seeds.
III. Water the plantsB Make 2 small holes in soil diagonal from each other to the 1 cm mark.
C Put 1 seed in each hole.
D Put each seed into its hole, 1cm deep.
E Cover the seeds and pat the dirt lightly onto the seeds.
A Check the
bottom tray for water.
B Check the soil and see if it is dry
C Always water every cell with the same amount and at the same time (depending on how much they need).
IV. Mixing the pH levels B Check the soil and see if it is dry
C Always water every cell with the same amount and at the same time (depending on how much they need).
A Ask a local
laboratory to mix 4 different water pH levels.
B They used distilled water (H2O) and added sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to make different levels of acid rain.
C They made pH levels 6.0, 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0 and labeled them.
D Label groups of 36 plants as “6.0,” “5.0,” “4.0,” and “3.0”.
V. Treat plants with pH levelsB They used distilled water (H2O) and added sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to make different levels of acid rain.
C They made pH levels 6.0, 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0 and labeled them.
D Label groups of 36 plants as “6.0,” “5.0,” “4.0,” and “3.0”.
A Repeat the
step three of watering the plants except.
B While giving the plants toxins check on them daily for: Health, Growth, Color changes, and Leaves.
VI. Measure Plants for Biomass:B While giving the plants toxins check on them daily for: Health, Growth, Color changes, and Leaves.
A Pull each
radish plant carefully out of its planter cell and remove dirt.
B Weigh all plants from group together on Triple Beam Balance
C Count plants in this group and divide the mass by the number of plants to get the average.
D Repeat these steps until each group has been done.
B Weigh all plants from group together on Triple Beam Balance
C Count plants in this group and divide the mass by the number of plants to get the average.
D Repeat these steps until each group has been done.
RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of acid rain on the biomass of radishes.
The results of the experiment were that the pH level of 6.0 groups was the healthiest group in biomass by a large amount and the group 5.0’s biomass was the least. The pH level of 6.0’s group biomass averages are 0.27g. 5.0’s were 0.23g. 4.0’s were 0.25g. 3.0’s were 0.24g.
See the table and graph below.
CONCLUSION
My first hypothesis was that the plant’s biomass would be less as the water pH decreased (became more acidic).
The results indicate that the overall pattern was for plant mass to decrease as pH decreased. However one group, the 5.0 pH group, did not follow the pattern and had the smallest average biomass. For this reason, my first hypothesis should be rejected, until more research is done.
My second hypothesis was that the survival rate of the radishes would decrease as the pH decreased.
The results also indicated that my 2nd hypothesis should be rejected because all the groups survived at an equal rate.
After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder how acid rain would affect different plant species such as soybeans or tomatoes.
If I were to conduct this project again I would do several things differently. I would have used 2-3 times more plants. I would have used a more accurate scale so that I would have more accurate results. I also would have tested my seeds before planting to make sure the germination rate was near 100%. I also would have grown them in the sunlight in late spring.
|
Introduction Food is important for human heath because without nutrients and vitamins we would not survive. Everyone needs an adequate supply of healthy food to eat. Agriculture can be affected by the polluted air and water, which causes acid rain. Plants Plants and animals are two major kingdoms of living organisms. Plants are important to humans and animals by providing oxygen and food. They also provide shelter, clothing, and medicine. They also provide beauty and help living creatures with shade and erosion control. The study of plants is called botany. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants produce food. Photosynthesis requires sunshine, carbon dioxide, water, and chlorophyll. The formula for photosynthesis is 6 H2O + 6 CO2→C6H12O6 + 6 O2. (Six molecules of water plus six molecules of carbon dioxide produce one molecule of sugar plus six molecules of oxygen). Photosynthesis is useful for humans, animal, and plants. Water is transported from the roots by the xylem (tubes that carry water) in the stems. It spreads through the cells that contain chlorophyll in the inside of the top layer of the leaf. Sunlight powers the break down of water and carbon dioxide in the plants to make oxygen. Humans and animals use this to breathe. Plants roots are underground. The jobs of the roots are to absorb water, food, and minerals; to hold the plant in place; to store extra food and minerals for the plant; and to keep the soil from eroding. There are two main types of roots. The taproot and the main roots, there are also the branching roots and little hairs that help suck up the water and minerals. There are mostly taproots on trees, carrots, parsnips, radishes, beets, and dandelions. There are diffuse roots in grasses such as corn and rye. The diffuse roots can grow longer than the aboveground part of the plant. Within the roots there are tubes where the food made by the plant is stored, these tubes are called xylem. The plant has to transport minerals and water to every part of their body even the tiniest parts to survive. Roots are very important to humans and animals because many roots are very nutritious and packed with food. Radishes (Raphanus sativus) Radishes are a fast growing plant in the vegetable family. They can stand cool weather. They can grow during the summer in the mountains from February to mid May, and August to October. The radish will become more tender, mild, and attractive if they are planted in soil without lumps, stones, clods, or decayed organic material. When they are grown slowly they are tough and woody, pithy, and pungent. Some of North Carolina’s soil makes big dark spots on the radish’s bulb. This is a bad trait of the radish. Radishes are harvested by machines. They are often sold in a transparent container in a store. Growers are very precise with the planting depth of the radish in the ground. They plant the radishes about 1 cm in the ground (.4 of an inch). They need to be spread 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) apart from each other.
There are many different types of radishes. The most popular types have bright red bulbs and white roots, including Cherry Belle, Early Scarlet Globe, Champion, Comet, Red Boy, and Sparkler White Tip. Icicle is a popular long-rooted spring type. The winter types are more long-rooted than the other types. The winter types require twice as much time to grow as a spring type. Fall radish types are April Cross, Everest, Omni, Long Black Spanish, and Round Black Spanish. The fall crops are used for eating in the winter. Pollution Every average human usually drives one or more vehicle for transportation. More and more every day vehicles (cars) can damage the air even more. When a car gets in an accident it releases fuels and gases that can cause pollutants in the air. They can also cause water pollution if the leak into a near by drain, stream, or river. Some other things that can cause pollutants are ships, airplanes, jets, shuttles, and anything that has fuels that come in contact with air or any type of bodies of water. Pollution is a large problem and hazard to humans, animals, and plants. Water, air, and soil pollution can cause some organisms to die or become weaker. Pollution is a type of way some plants and animals become endangered. Even though we try as hard as possible we can never get rid of the pollution damage of the past. Sulfuric Acid (H2SO) The formula for sulfuric acid is H2SO. It is a major component in acid rain along with nitric acid. Sulfuric acid is very strong, in aqueous solution. It is largely changed to hydrogen ions (H+) and sulfate ions (SO42-) when mixed with water. Every molecule gives two hydrogen ions, so the sulfuric acid is dibasic. Weak solutions of sulfuric acid show the behaviors of acids. They have a sour taste, conduct electricity, and corrode active metals. When sulfuric acid gets in soil it increased the phosphorus level in the soil which will kill the plants. They use it in factories for making fertilizers, refining petroleum jelly, paints, pigments, processing metals, rayon, and it is often used for battery storage such as car energizers. Nitric Acid (HNO3) The formula for nitric acid is HNO3. It is a major component in acid rain along with sulfuric acid. Nitric acid is a colorless, corrosive liquid. A chemist once found that if sulfuric acid gets on skin it would make a yellow coloration because of the proteins from the skin. Nitric acid is in intestinal disorders, Amatol (a powerful explosive), and ammonium nitrate. pH (-log10 [H+]) The formula for pH is -log10 [H+] (positively charged hydrogen atom). The acidity of a substance can be measured by pH. The pH of a solution can make the color of litmus paper change depending on the acidic level. pH is used in household items such as hand soap, ammonia, bleach, and lye. These items are basic not acidic because they are above 7.0. Battery acid, gastric acid, lemon juice and vinegar are items that are acidic not basic because they are below 7.0.
Acid Rain The two major components in acid rain are nitric and sulfuric acid. Acid rain can be caused by factories and automobiles. Acid rain then travels for miles and then when it gets into a type of water (hail, rain, snow, slush, and fog) from the sky it becomes acid rain hail, rain, snow, slush, and fog. It gets in rivers, streams, and lakes, and it can damage crops and animals living in the body of water. It is really dangerous it can damage anything. Plants can die from it very easily because the acid increases the amount of phosphorus in the soil. It can also harm buildings and rock used structures because of the acidity. Acid rain damages 70% of Eastern North America and the Untied States. Acid rain occurs more frequently in the city than country because of the exhaust from the automobiles and factories. Summary In conclusion, food is important for human heath because without nutrients and vitamins we would not survive. Everyone needs an adequate supply of healthy food to eat. Agriculture can be affected by the polluted air and water, which will cause acid rain. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
“Acid Rain” Microsoft Encarta 2001, Microsoft Corporation 11/2/05 http://www.microsoft.com/encarta/ Sanders, Douglas, C. “Radish” 1/4/06 http://www.ces.nscu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-25.html Hoff, Mary Groundwater Minneapolis 1998, 5-7 “Nitric Acid” Microsoft Encarta 2005, Microsoft Corporation 10/19/05 http://www.microsoft.com/encarta/ “pH” Microsoft Encarta 2001, Microsoft Corporation 10/19/05 http://www.microsoft.com/encarta/ “pH and Acid Rain” 11/30/05 http://www.kernsite.com/uwp/pH/pH.htm “Plants” 1/11/06 http://www.mwdn.org/Plants/PlantsMain.html Stewart, Gail Acid Rain San Diego, CA 1992 12-18, 21 “Water Pollution” Microsoft Encarta 2005, Microsoft Corporation 11/2/05 http://www.microsoft.com/encarta/ |
I would like to thank the following people for helping make my project possible:
• I would like to thank my mom for buying me my materials and letting me spend extra time at school so that I can work on my project.
• I would like to thank my grandpa for helping me build my greenhouse and for helping me plant and check my radishes for health problems.
• I would like to thank my dad for help me put the lights on my greenhouse and help me check on my radishes.
• I would like to thank Mr. Newkirk for correcting my journal and report. Also for telling the things I need to improve in my project.
• I would like to thank Mrs. Viernes for helping me with different problems on the computers and with my journal.
Top of page