Science Fair Projects Ideas & Experiments :: Botany
Chemical science fair projects impact plant germination...
Tickle Me Plant Science Fair Projects
Name: Natalie
Grade Level 6th
Awards: Regional Mid-Columbia Science Fair. Distinction for expriemental design. second place in the science fair. Washington State Science and Engineering Fair. third place.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of various types and concentrations of antifreeze on the growth of soybeans.
I became interested in this idea because my mom and I raise a garden. I was wondering why some plants die for no apparent reason. Then I wondered if pollutants, like gas or antifreeze in cars, have anything to do with it.
The information gained from this experiment would help gardeners, farmers, and others involved in agriculture understand how antifreeze affects some plants. It might show those in the automotive industry that antifreeze is a possible danger to our society and that it might need to be disposed of in special ways.
HYPOTHESIS
My first hypothesis was that ethylene glycol would cause the soybeans to grow more poorly than the soybeans treated with propylene glycol.
I based my hypothesis on a previous study done in 2003 by Joel Freeborn, “The Effect with Propylene Glycol on the growth of radishes.” He said that “propylene glycol’s poisonous and an ounce of that would be able to kill young children,” In his conclusion it said that it was his hypothesis was correct.
My second hypothesis was that as the concentration of antifreeze increases the growth of soybeans would decrease.
EXPERIMENT DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
The type of soybean seeds
The amount of antifreeze I put on each soybean
The growing temperature
The soil type, amount
Amount of light
Planting depth
The types of antifreeze used within each group
The manipulated variables were the types of antifreeze and the concentration applied.
The responding variable was the mass of the soybeans.
To measure the responding variable I uprooted the plants, removed the dirt and used a triple beam balance to determine the mass.
MATERIALS
| QUANTITY |
ITEM DESCRIPTION |
2
|
Disposable planting trays |
100
|
Soybean seeds |
| 1 gal. |
Propylene glycol |
| 1 gal. |
Ethylene glycol |
1
|
Planting lamp |
1
|
Timer |
| 1 |
bag Planting soil |
1
|
Eye droppers |
4
|
1000 ml. pitchers |
| 1 |
Scout Pro (scale) |
PROCEDURES
1. Put dirt in disposable planting trays bounce the soil and pack it in
2. Cut tray into 3 equal trays of 8 cells.
3. Plant 24 soybeans in each tray
4. Water them every three days
5. Label the trays
6. Place them in a nice place to grow
7. Grow until about two centimeters tall
8. Mix 1.0ml propylene glycol with 99ml H2O
9. Dose the soybean sprouts with 5 grams each of 1.0ml propylene glycol
10. Write down what you observed
11. Mix 1.0ml ethylene glycol with 99ml H2O
12. Dose the soybean sprouts with 5 grams each 1.0ml ethylene glycol
13. Take observations of what you did
14. Wait about three or four days until you dose the soybean sprouts again with propylene Glycol and ethylene glycol again
15. Mix 0.5ml Of propylene glycol mixed with 99.5ml H2O
16. Take the new mixture and pour it on the plants
17. Repeat step 8 on the controlled groups but with normal water
18. Do the same thing as you did on step eight except use ethylene glycol
19. Pluck one of the propylene glycol soybean plants
20. Put them on the scout pro (scale)
21. Write the weight for the propylene glycol plant
22. And pluck another one and repeat steps 20-21 for all the plants
23. Pluck the ethylene glycol soybean plants
24. Put them on the scout pro (scale)
25. Study their weight and write what you observed
RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of various types and concentrations of antifreeze on the growth of soybeans.
The results of the experiment were that the ethylene glycol group weighed less than the propylene glycol plants did. Both weighed less than the control group.
CONCLUSION
My hypothesis was that ethylene glycol would cause the soybeans to grow more poorly than the soybeans that were tinted with the propylene glycol.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted because the ethylene glycol group weighed a lot less than the propylene glycol did when I measured them.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if it would change the findings if I used more or less propylene glycol and ethylene glycol on the soybeans, and also if I grew the soybeans longer?
If I were to conduct this project again I would definitely use more plants for my project, I also would conduct my experiment during the summer so there would be better light for the plants. Another thing that I would change if I conducted this project again is I would make more concentrations of antifreeze to water the soybeans with. I would also put them in a place where my cat can’t get to them so I didn’t have to start over. Abstract
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