Soil or Sand Biology Emily Wood Science Fair Project

Statement of the Problem Do plants grow faster in soil or sand?

Project Overview I wrote a research paper. Then after typing up the procedure I gathered the materials, I started my project. I monitored the plants for ten days, then collected the data.

Research Potting soil is better to plant flowers in. Plants need water so that they can grow roots. With out roots the plants would die. There are a few kinds of plants that can grow in soil. Sand doesn’t retain water.

Variables Independent variable: What the plant is planted in (soil or sand). Dependent variable: How fast many leaves plant grows. Definitions Independent Variable: The independent variable is what is changed in the experiment. Dependant Variable: What happens as a result of the independent variable. Constant variables: Amount of water, amount of sunlight, same temperature, same size jiffy pots, same type of plant, and same amount of seeds. Control group: The plants in soil.

Hypothesis The plant will grow faster in soil because sand doesn’t retain water.

Materials 1 bag of potting soil 1 bag of sand Water Metric measuring cups 6 styrofoam cups One metric ruler A pen Some pieces of paper Seeds Marker.

Procedure Step 1: Gather materials. Step 2: Label the Styrofoam cups “A1” “A2” “A3” “B1” “B2” and “B3”. Step 3: Put 110 grams of potting soil into the “A” styrofoam cups. Step 4: Put 110 grams of sand into the “B” styrofoam cups. Step 5: Put the styrofoam cups on a table outside, for sunlight access. Step 6: Put four seeds in each of the cups. Step 7: Each day come back to water the plants with 2 ounces of water in each cup. Step 8: Each day come back to record how many leaves are on each plant. Step 9: After the three weeks are up, analyze and graph the data. Step 10: Communicate Results.

In cup B2 Photos Day 1 B1 B3 A2 Day 10 B2 A3 A1 A2 B3 B1 A1 A3 B2

Data/Observations (Analyzes)

Conclusion In conclusion, I’ve learned that if you use to much water in the soil it will drown the seeds. I have also learned that if the sand is compact and held together with water, the seeds will sprout.

Possible Experimental Errors I think why my experiment didn’t go as planned was because I didn’t start early enough. Another reason could be that I used to much water.

Applications and Recommendations I would start earlier and let the plants grow longer. I would also only use 1 oz of water to water the plants.

Works Cited "Do Plants Grow Best in Ground Soil or Potting Soil? | Garden Guides." Garden Guides, Your Guide to Everything Gardening. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. http://www.gardenguides.com/127982-plants-grow-ground-soil-potting-soil.html Hershey, David. "Re: Do Plants Grow Better in Soil or Sand? Why?" MadSciNet: The 24-hour Exploding Laboratory. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-09/969410800.Bt.r.html "How Plants Grow." Think Quest. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/root2.html Personal interview. 25 Jan. 2011. "Plants Suited To Sandy Soils." Discover Loch Sport, a Gateway to the Gippsland Lakes and Ninety Mile Beach. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. http://www.lochsport.com/environment/plants.html   Royston, Angela. "Many Kinds of Plants." How Plants Grow. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 1999. 4. Print. "Soils and Fertilizers." Web. 25 Jan. 2011. http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/soils/index.html