5.4 JACK LISTENS TO HIS BEANS TALK
(Level: 4 : 7 : 10 acad : 10 appl :: Acid Deposition)
Purpose: To observe the effects of an acid solution on plant growth.
What You Need: 5 plastic pots :: distilled water :: potting soil :: vinegar :: 15 bean seeds :: pH test kit :: permanent marker :: 5 1-litre containers :: graduated cylinder
What You Do:
- Prepare the following 1 litre solutions:
Pot 1 - 1 litre of vinegar
Pot 2 - 750 ml vinegar + 250 ml distilled water
Pot 3 - 500 ml vinegar + 500 ml distilled water
Pot 4 - 250 ml vinegar + 750 ml distilled water
Pot 5 - 1 litre of distilled water
- Measure and record the pH of each of the solutions.
- Number the 5 plastic pots consecutively.
- Fill each pot with equal amounts of potting soil and plant 3 beans in each pot. Place in an area where all pots receive the same amount of bright light and temperature.
- Water the 5 pots each day with 50 ml of solution each time. Ensure that the correct solution goes in the corresponding pot each time.
- Observe and record the growth of the beans over a 3-4 week period.
Questions:
- From your observations, what effects do the varying amounts of acidity have on plant development?
- What can you conclude about the importance of pH in the growth of plants?
- Soils in a bog are very acidic and lack nutrients, specifically nitrogen. How is the pitcher plant adapted to obtain nitrogen while growing in a bog?
- Why are the soils in northern Ontario much more susceptible to the effects of acid rain than the soils in southern Ontario?
- How do acidic soils affect amphibians?
Click here to see the answers to these questions.
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The following chart lists four pH indicators and the colour changes that occur during testing.
Indicator |
Colour In Acid |
Colour In Base |
Litmus paper |
pink |
blue |
Phenolphthalein |
colourless |
red |
Methyl Orange |
orange |
yellow |
Bromthymol Blue |
yellow |
blue |
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