Acid Rain Lab
Collaborators-
Griffin Matthews, Mr. Gunsher's 1st period AP Environmental Science class in its entirety.
Griffin Matthews, Mr. Gunsher's 1st period AP Environmental Science class in its entirety.
Abstract-
An experiment was conducted to better understand the effects of acid rain on grass. 6 grass samples were tested with 2 samples being watered with distilled water, 2 samples being watered with slightly acidic water, and 2 more samples being watered with even more acidic water. The samples were watered every few days for 2/3 weeks and were then examined at the end. The results were that the grass watered with acidic water fared quite badly compared to the control group which consisted of grass watered with distilled water. The grass watered with acidic water was noticeable more dry, the soil was less solid, and the grass exhibited substantially stunted growth. The results supported the hypothesis that the grass watered with acidic water would be more negatively effected the more acidic the water it was watered with got.
An experiment was conducted to better understand the effects of acid rain on grass. 6 grass samples were tested with 2 samples being watered with distilled water, 2 samples being watered with slightly acidic water, and 2 more samples being watered with even more acidic water. The samples were watered every few days for 2/3 weeks and were then examined at the end. The results were that the grass watered with acidic water fared quite badly compared to the control group which consisted of grass watered with distilled water. The grass watered with acidic water was noticeable more dry, the soil was less solid, and the grass exhibited substantially stunted growth. The results supported the hypothesis that the grass watered with acidic water would be more negatively effected the more acidic the water it was watered with got.
Problem-
What are the effects of acid rain on normal grass?
What are the effects of acid rain on normal grass?
Hypothesis-
If we water four (excluding the controls) grass samples with water of two varying degrees of acidity, then, the grass that has been watered with the most acidic water will suffer the most out of the two .
If we water four (excluding the controls) grass samples with water of two varying degrees of acidity, then, the grass that has been watered with the most acidic water will suffer the most out of the two .
Parts of Experiment-
Control Group- The grass watered with distilled water.
Experimental Group- The grass watered with water with a pH of 2 or 4.
Independent Variable- The pH level in the water.
Dependent Variable- The effects of the pH on the grass.
Control Group- The grass watered with distilled water.
Experimental Group- The grass watered with water with a pH of 2 or 4.
Independent Variable- The pH level in the water.
Dependent Variable- The effects of the pH on the grass.
Materials-
Grass Seed
6 two liter bottles
Distilled Water
Sulfuric Acid
Graduated Cylinder
pH testing materials (if you don't know the acidity of the water)
Grass Seed
6 two liter bottles
Distilled Water
Sulfuric Acid
Graduated Cylinder
pH testing materials (if you don't know the acidity of the water)
Methods-
1. Create 3 containers of water (a sufficient amount in each for watering for a 2/3 week period. You must have 1 container of each of the following: Distilled water (which, in theory, should be a pH of 7 exactly), water with a pH of 4, and water with a pH of 2.
2. To acquire water of said pHs, mix sulfuric acid with the water so the pH levels come as close as you can get them to 2 and 4 respectively.
3. The grass that you used in the erosion lab should be the grass you use here. But to summarize, cut a hole in a 2 liter bottle, fill with dirt and plant grass and wait for grass to grow BEFORE performing this experiment. You will need 6 bottles with grass.
4. Water the grass bottles every 2-3 days (or whenever you see fit) with their respective pH of water. 2 bottles receive distilled water, 2 bottles receive water with a pH of 4, and 2 bottles receive water with a pH of 2.
5. Record results.
1. Create 3 containers of water (a sufficient amount in each for watering for a 2/3 week period. You must have 1 container of each of the following: Distilled water (which, in theory, should be a pH of 7 exactly), water with a pH of 4, and water with a pH of 2.
2. To acquire water of said pHs, mix sulfuric acid with the water so the pH levels come as close as you can get them to 2 and 4 respectively.
3. The grass that you used in the erosion lab should be the grass you use here. But to summarize, cut a hole in a 2 liter bottle, fill with dirt and plant grass and wait for grass to grow BEFORE performing this experiment. You will need 6 bottles with grass.
4. Water the grass bottles every 2-3 days (or whenever you see fit) with their respective pH of water. 2 bottles receive distilled water, 2 bottles receive water with a pH of 4, and 2 bottles receive water with a pH of 2.
5. Record results.
Data-
Photos have descriptions
Data Analysis-
A quick note on the distilled water; for reasons unknown, the distilled water tested with a pH of 6 instead of the normal 7. Overall the grass watered with water with a pH of 2 had the biggest negative reaction to the acid in the water. The grass watered with 4 pH had less of a negative effect and the distilled had no noticeable effects because it was a control. So the overall trend was; the more acidic the water was, the more it negatively effected the grass was.
The negative effects included stunted growth. The distilled water grass was good 50% thicker and taller compared to the acid rain grass. Also, the grass' soil consistency was noticeably more solid in the distilled water grass. The distilled water grass' soil was almost tough to break apart while the acid watered grass was looser. I hypothesize that this is caused by weakened root structures in the acidic water soil. The acid water soil was also much dryer than the distilled water soil. I believe that if the experiment would have been continued, the grass that was constantly watered with acidic water would have slowly weakened and eventually died.
A quick note on the distilled water; for reasons unknown, the distilled water tested with a pH of 6 instead of the normal 7. Overall the grass watered with water with a pH of 2 had the biggest negative reaction to the acid in the water. The grass watered with 4 pH had less of a negative effect and the distilled had no noticeable effects because it was a control. So the overall trend was; the more acidic the water was, the more it negatively effected the grass was.
The negative effects included stunted growth. The distilled water grass was good 50% thicker and taller compared to the acid rain grass. Also, the grass' soil consistency was noticeably more solid in the distilled water grass. The distilled water grass' soil was almost tough to break apart while the acid watered grass was looser. I hypothesize that this is caused by weakened root structures in the acidic water soil. The acid water soil was also much dryer than the distilled water soil. I believe that if the experiment would have been continued, the grass that was constantly watered with acidic water would have slowly weakened and eventually died.
Conclusion-
The results yielded by the entire class supported my hypothesis perfectly. Acid rain does not help the growth of grass in any way. I would imagine that most of my classmates had the same hypothesis. The effects that we observed with the grass that had been effected by acid rain are supported in this National Geographic article. The dryness in the soil is apparently a typical affect of acid rain as the acid rain makes the roots have a more difficult time absorbing water. This explains the soil dryness as well as the stunted growth due to lack of nutrients and water. A possible experiment alteration to improve accuracy would be to lengthen the experiment time period to get a better look at longer term effects of acid rain.
In conclusion- In this experiment, it is concluded by the evidence that grass exposed to acidic water does not fare well at all especially in overall growth.
The results yielded by the entire class supported my hypothesis perfectly. Acid rain does not help the growth of grass in any way. I would imagine that most of my classmates had the same hypothesis. The effects that we observed with the grass that had been effected by acid rain are supported in this National Geographic article. The dryness in the soil is apparently a typical affect of acid rain as the acid rain makes the roots have a more difficult time absorbing water. This explains the soil dryness as well as the stunted growth due to lack of nutrients and water. A possible experiment alteration to improve accuracy would be to lengthen the experiment time period to get a better look at longer term effects of acid rain.
In conclusion- In this experiment, it is concluded by the evidence that grass exposed to acidic water does not fare well at all especially in overall growth.
Citations-
"Acid Rain." National Geographic. Nationalgeographic.com, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
"Acid Rain." National Geographic. Nationalgeographic.com, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.