The Effect of Types of Water on Plants' Growth
Abstract:
Does Different Types of Water Affect Plants?The purpose of this project was to find if plants watered with different water types will have any effect on their growth and how healthy they are (number of leaves, buds, sturdy stem). The hypothesis was that some types of water, such as mineral and spring, contain more minerals than others and will grow taller than those watered with water without minerals. 15 pots were grouped into 5 groups of 3, each group representing the water type being used. The water types used for this experiment were mineral, spring, tap, distilled, and purified. 300 millimeters of soil was poured in each pot. One green bean seed was planted 1 centimeter deep. The tap water represents the control group. All plants were placed near the windowsill and each plant was given 2 tablespoons of its corresponding water daily. During the first two weeks, the plants did not show any signs of growth and had to be moved to a sunnier windowsill. The water amount also had to be increased from two to three tablespoons. Plants started to grow during the third week and the water amount was changed back to two tablespoons. Plant’s height was measured in centimeters and additionally, the number of leaves and buds was counted and recorded every week. In the end, the hypothesis was rejected. Plants watered with tap water grew shorter than others. The data showed that purified water made the plants grow the tallest while mineral and spring produced stronger stems and healthier leaves.
Bibliography/Citations:
No additional citationsAdditional Project Information
Research Plan:
Title: The Effect of Types of Water on Plants’ Growth
Question/Problem: What is the effect of different types of water on plants and their growth?
Hypothesis: If the plants are watered with water that contains minerals, such as spring water and mineral water, then it would grow healthier and taller than the plant watered with the water without minerals, such as distilled water.
Materials: 1 gallon of distilled water, 8 bottles mineral water, water purifier at home, 8 bottles of spring water, tap water, 15 4-inch pots, measuring spoons, paper and tape for labels, a marker, a beaker, paper towels, and 1 bag of loam soil (about 16 quarts).
Procedure:
- Pour the soil into a beaker until it reaches 300 millimeters.
- Transfer the measured soil into a pot.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all the pots are filled.
- Place them all near a windowsill.
- Cut out small rectangular pieces of paper that fit on the pots and write the beginning letter of the type of water you’re using for it and number them 1, 2, or 3 since there are 3 replicates. Do all the labels, one for each pot: Mineral 1, Mineral 2, Mineral 3, Tap 1, Tap 2, Tap 3, Spring 1, Spring 2, Spring 3, Purified 1, Purified 2, Purified 3, Distilled 1, Distilled 2, and Distilled 3.
- Place the seeds inside of each pot about 1 inch deep into the soil and patch up the hole.
- Water each with 30 millimeters of each different type of water according to the labels.
- Water them every day and keep the soil moist. Make sure to keep track of the type of water you’re watering with each plant.
- Once one of the plants starts to grow, you can use a metric ruler and record it in centimeters on your chart along with the observations.
Data Analysis: The height of the plants is measured in centimeters once a week. The mean of the height (cm) will be calculated and recorded. A line graph with the number of weeks (x-axis) and the number of centimeters (y-axis) will be made and used to show data.
Risk Analysis: Wash your hands after you touch the soil. Overall, there’s not much safety and precautions needed in this experiment.
Work Cited:
Sengupta, Sushmita. “Types of Water: 7 Different Types of Water And Their Purposes.” NDTV Food. November 2, 2017
“Drink Up” The Sill Author and Date: N/A Paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, “How Much Is Too Much?” “Setting A Water Schedule “Mind the Seasons When Watering” and “Temperature: Keep it Tepid”
https://www.thesill.com/blogs/the-basics/drink-up
June 19 Author: N/A “8 Best Potting Soil for Indoor Plants – 2019 Reviews & Guide” Garden Helpful “What is the Best Potting Soil for Indoor Plants?”
https://gardenhelpful.com/best-potting-soil-for-indoor-plants/
Welch, Jaime Growing Green Beans Indoors| DoItYourself.Com. https://www.doityourself.com/stry/dangers-of-gardening-with-hydroponics
Welch, Jaime Growing Green Beans Indoors| DoItYourself.Com. https://www.doityourself.com/stry/dangers-of-gardening-with-hydroponics.