The Effect of Different Liquids on Plant Growth By Michael Rhodes

Hypothesis If I test the impact of Dr. Pepper, milk, water, soda water, and orange juice on a plants growth, then the soda water will make it grow the most.

Variables Independent: liquid Dependent: plant’s growth Constants: size and material of pot, amount of soil, amount of light, amount of liquid,

Research Plants are producers that get their energy from the sun and convert it to oxygen and sugar using a process called photosynthesis. This process is essential to all living things survival. Without photosynthesis there would be no oxygen and we would all die. The topic my of experiment is on how plants will react differently to being fed different liquids. The roots would soak up the liquid (ex. Dr. Pepper) and bring it through their roots to two tubes called the xylem and the phloem. They then take the liquid up the stem and distribute it to other parts of the plants. In previous experiments by other people soda killed the plant, milk made it grow and water made it grow the most. I am going to try those liquids and two others. I am also going to try seltzer water and orange juice. The colored substances will probably change the color of the plant while the clear ones will stay the same. One other liquid I won’t try is apple juice. Other people say that it will make it grow a little.

Procedure 1. Use One Pansy plant per liquid. Attempt to cut them all to an equal starting height. 2. Every day water each plant 50 milliliters of the liquid it is representing 3. Every week record your observations. Not only height but other things different from the week before. 4. After four weeks measure the height and growth of the plants and decide which one grew the most.

Results Liquids Starting Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Dr. Pepper 10cm Starting to die Mold forming on sides of pot Dead, the Dr. Pepper went right through Dead, total growth 0cm Orange Juice 14.5cm No apparent growth Same height, starting to grow mold on the base of plant Plant barely alive total growth 0cm Milk 12cm Growing, dirt is wet even 2 days after I watered it growing Starting to smell and turn yellow Dead, total growth 1cm Soda Water Growing Growing more rapidly Steady growth, Has awful aphids In total: no growth in height. Growing new leaves and stems Water 11cm Steady growth Starting to see new leaves and buds. steady Shrunk 1cm is growing new leaves and stems

Conclusion None of the plants grew in height, but the soda water and the water plants grew new leaves and buds. The dr. pepper and the orange juice made mold grow on the soil and on the pot, likely killing the plant. The milk plant had an awful smell and did not grow. Only water and soda water plants survived the four weeks. In all, the soda water and water ended in the same height and they both had new leaves and buds. Both of these plants tied. My hypothesis was correct.

Bibliography Works Cited "All About Plants." Oracle ThinkQuest Library. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/3608/>. "Answers.com - How Different Liquids Effect a Plants Growth." WikiAnswers - The Q&A Wiki. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_different_liquids_effect_a_plants_g rowth>. "Biology4Kids.com: Plants: Xylem and Phloem." Rader's BIOLOGY 4 KIDS.COM. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. <http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_xylemphloem.html>. Cochrane, Jennifer. Plant Ecology. New York: Bookwright, 1987. Print. Tanacredi, John T., and John Loret. Experiment Central. Understanding Scientific Principles through Projects. Detroit: U-X-L, 2000. Print.