Kayleigh MagahanFrederick StylesSofia Dinges

Effects of Acidity on Radishes

Research Question

•How does different Ph levels in water affect the growth of radish seeds?

Background Research• Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a term referring to a mixture of

wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere containing high amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids.

- Wet deposition includes all forms of polluted precipitation; rain, snow, sleet, hail and fog.

- Dry deposition refers to areas where the weather is dry. • Acid rain is a world-wide problem that effects our environment• Air pollution is what causes acid rain. • Top causes are car exhaust and factories that burn fuel, oil and

coal.• Acid rain is measured by using the pH scale. T

Hypothesis•We think that the radishes watered

with lowest acidic level will grow the best. The radishes with the highest acidic levels will grow the least.

Materials•3 growth

chambers•Soil•Vernier Lab Quest•Water•Vinegar•Ruler•Radish Seeds•Measuring Cups•Beakers

Procedure• Create the growth chambers by cutting a water bottle

in half and filling with 7 inches of soil each• Plant radish seeds about ½ to 1 inch deep in the soil• Measure the different levels of acidity by mixing

vinegar and water. Use the Vernier Lab Quest to measure. Get all the levels to 7.0, 5.6, and 4.5.

• Put the three different solutions into different containers and label them to avoid confusion.

• Water plant 1 with the neutral water (7.0 Ph) Water plant 2 with 5.6 Ph water. Water plant 3 with the 4.5 pH solution. Water each with 30mg every other day.

• Once the plants sprout, record the growth of each in a journal everyday by measuring the base of the stem to the tip. 

• After 3 weeks when the plants reach their full growth then compare all results and form conclusions.

Experiment

Plant 7 Plant 4.5 Plant 5.6

Growth chamber in the early stage.

Top view of the plants

DataDate Plant 1 (7pH) Plant 2 (5.6) Plant 3 (4.5)

October 17, 2011

5.7 cm 8.4cm 4cm

October 19, 2011

7.0 cm 8.75cm 6.5 cm

October 21, 2011

8.1 cm 9.25 cm 0 cm

October 25th, 2011

8.5 cm 9.45cm 0cm

October 27th, 2011

9cm 9.75cm 0cm

Day 1

Day 3

Day 5

Day 7

Day 9

Day 1

1

Day 1

3

Day 1

5

Day 1

70

2

4

6

8

10

12

Plant 1Plant 2Plant 3

Analysis•The first plant to sprout was the radish

watered with the 5.6 pH solution, Plant 2. By Day 3 all of the plants had sprouted. They all grew rather fast, averaging about a centimeter a day, until about Day 7- 10. At this point, Plant 1 and 2 started to grow only fractions of a centimeter every day. On Day 10, Plant 3 died. This was due to a malfunction of our equipment, which led to this plant being watered with a too acidic level.

Conclusions•After doing our experiment, our hypothesis

was proven to be false. It turned out that the radishes watered with 5.6 pH water grew to be 9.75 cm, while the 7pH level grew to be only 9cm. The radishes watered with 4.5 pH ended up dying. Even though the radishes watered with a 5.6 pH grew the best, they did not turn out to be the most healthy. The 7 pH radishes grew the most thick and sturdy. In conclusion, radishes watered with a low pH level do not grow to be tall and radishes watered with an exact acid level to neutral grow to be tall.

Bibliography• "Acid Rain." Acid Rain. Oracle Think-Quest. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

<http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/acid_rain.htm>.

• "What Is Acid Rain? | Acid Rain | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency, 08 June 2007. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what/>.

 • "Acid Rain." The Environment- A Global Challenge. Oracle Think Quest.

Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <• http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Environmental_Problems/acid_rain.html>.

• "Acid Rain Facts, Acid Rain Information, Acid Rain Pictures, Acid Rain Effects - National Geographic." Environment Facts, Environment Science, Global Warming, Natural Disasters, Ecosystems, Green Living - National Geographic. National Geographic. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/acid-rain-overview/>.