Acid Rain: Friend or Foe?

Overview

Objectives/Goals The purpose of my Science Fair experiment was to find out which level of acidity, 3, 4, 5 or 6, was most harmful to plant growth. I hypothesized that my controlled group, with a neutral pH level of 7, would grow the tallest and have the most leaves, because there was no acid to affect the growth. Methods/Materials To test my hypothesis I planted 20 seeds in 5 groups of 4, with the seeds and soil as my control. Each group was watered with a different pH level of water. The groups were labeled: group 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 (group 3 was watered with water a pH level of 3, group 4 was watered with water a pH level of 4, etc.). Each plant was watered with 59.15ml (1/4 cup) of water. The plants were watered as needed, and I measured them every 4-8 days. Results My results revealed that my hypothesis was incorrect. Although my controlled group had the most leaves, it did not grow the tallest. The most acidic plant, watered with a pH level of 3, grew the tallest, but did not have the most leaves. Conclusions/Discussion In conclusion my results did not support my hypothesis; however, I believe that if I continued this project for a longer period of time (such as a year) I would see results supporting my hypothesis. I believe this additional time would be needed to ensure that the acidity level in the soil is equal to the acidity level in my pH solution.

Competition history

• CSEF 2002 Environmental Science (Junior Division Only) · Entry J0912

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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