Sam+Schnibben-

**Problem:** Can the acidity of rainwater negatively affect the growth of plants?
 * __The Detrimental Effects of Acidic Rain on Plants __** **By: Sam Schnibben **

**Background Research:** The intent of this experiment is to deduce the negative effects acid rain has on plant growth. Due to excessive air pollution in recent years because of human’s use of fossil fuels the amount of acidic rain is increasing. As a species it is our moral obligation to to see what negative effects our action have on the environment through experiments like this. The findings of this experiment should hopefully help support the findings that acid rain is a serious threat to the health of plants in our environment, hence raising further need to become less dependent on fossil fuels.

Need more scientific background on both plant growth and acid rain. Ms. Miller

1. The plant species. 2. The quantity of sunlight given to the plants. 3. The quantity of water (in milliliters) given to the plants. 4. The type of soil utilized.
 * Controls: **

1. The pH of the rainwater given to each plant.
 * Independent Variables: **

1. The growth of the plant. 2. The plant’s health. 3. Damage inflicted upon the plant’s cells and tissues.
 * Dependent Variables: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">**Hypothesis:** If one flower is watered with rainwater of a neutral pH and the second flower is watered with acidic rain, then the flower watered with acidic rain will not grow as high.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">1. One graduated cylinder $7 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">2. Two flowers $10 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">3. One pH meter $20 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">4. Vinegar $10 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">5. Rainwater Free <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">6. Soil Free <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">7. Two flower pot $10 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">8. Two meter sticks $4 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">9. One Digital camera $30 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">10. One pair of gloves $5 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">11. One pair of goggles $10 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">12. One rain barrel $40 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">13. One beaker $5
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Materials: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">**Budget:** $151 Types of flowers used? Expected growth? Are you growing flowers from seeds? Ms. Miller <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">1. Purchase all of the materials listed. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">2. Place the two pots in the same well illuminated area so they are getting an equal proportions of light. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">3. Label one pot A and the other B. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">4. Place equivalent amounts of the same soil in each pot. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">5. Plant one of the two flowers of the same species in each pot. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">6. Place two meter sticks vertically upward next to each flower. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">7. Obtain rainwater using the rain barrel. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Experiment done in the winter. Rainwater may not be available. Ms. Miller <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">8. Measure 350 mL of rainwater with the graduated cylinder. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">9. Poor the rainwater into pot A. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">10. Put on the safety glasses. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">11. Put on the gloves. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">12. Fill the beaker halfway full with rainwater. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">13. Fill a quarter of the beaker with vinegar. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">This may make the same pH as rainwater but it isn't the same substance. Ms. Miller <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">14. Use the pH meter to see if the water has a pH of 4 the pH of acid rain. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">15. If the pH is not 4 dilute the rainwater or add more vinegar to get the pH to 4. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">16. Measure 350 mL of the acidic rainwater with the graduated cylinder. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">17. Poor the acidic rainwater into pot B. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">18. Record the height of each flower in the graph for day 1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">19. Utilize the digital camera to take a picture of the two plants. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">20. Repeat steps 7-19 everyday for 2 months to see a difference in growth between the two flowers. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">How often are you watering? What are you going to do about winter break? Ms. Miller You should get more plants for more tests Stephen Vega It would be good to have different levels of acid and discover a "danger zone" then research what conditions will cause this danger and what can be done to prevent this zone Stephen Vega Where are you going to get rainwater if it doesn't rain? Maybe you should research what sort of things are found in rain water and make your own rainwater, just in case. -Bekah Johnson Does the type of acid used matter? Acid rain probably doesn't have vinegar as its acid. This could effect the way the plants react. -Bekah Johnson
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Methods: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Bibliography: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Acid Rain." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Air Pollution." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Air Pollution — Environmental Terminology Discovery Service — EEA." Air Pollution — Environmental Terminology Discovery Service — EEA. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Science Shorts - Articles and Explorations - Acid Rain." Science Shorts - Articles and Explorations - Acid Rain. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Acid Rain." Acid Rain. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"What Is the Ph of Normal Rain, and at What Level Does the Ph Become Dangerous?" What Is the Ph of Normal Rain, and at What Level Does the Ph Become Dangerous? N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"PDS AP Env Sci 5th Period 2012-13." PDS AP Env Sci 5th Period 201213. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Human Impact on the Atmosphere." Human Impact on the Atmosphere. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Acid Rain Acid Rain Is Rain Snow or Fog That Is Polluted" Acid Rain Acid Rain Is Rain, Snow or Fog That Is Polluted .. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.