Science Fair Project
What Grows Best??
9-1 Project 2
Sections
Section One: Title
Section Two: Purpose
Section Three: Hypothesis
Section Four: Materials
Section Five: Method
Section Six: Variables
Section Seven: Results
Section Eight: Analysis
Section Nine: Conclusion
Section Ten: Sources of Error
Section Eleven: Ways to Improve
Purpose
What type of water is best for
growing grass?
Hypothesis
My hypothesis is that the water with the Miracle-Gro
added will make the grass grow the best. I think this
because Miracle-Gro has nutrients added to it to make
plants grow better and healthier.
Materials
+ Soil
+ Grass seeds
+ Tap water (chlorinated)
+ Spring water
+ Tap water (unchlorinated for mixing other waters)
+ Sugar
+ Salt
+ Miracle-Gro
+ Measuring cups
+ 15 Pots
+ Labels
+ 5 2L Bottles ( one for each water type)
Method
1. Gather all materials
2. For the pots of seeds put same amount of soil in all 15
pots.
3. Sprinkle each pot with an even layer of grass seed.
4. Place a thin layer of soil on top of seeds, but only enough
that the seeds are covered.
5. For the water measure how many cups you place in each
bottle.
6. Place unchlorinated tap water in 3 bottles.
7. Place chlorinated tap water in 1 bottle.
8. Place spring water in the last bottle.
Method
9. In one bottle of unchlorinated tap water place salt
(1tpsp of salt
for every cup of water)
10. In another bottle or unchlorinated tap water add sugar (1tpsp of
sugar for every cup of water)
11. In the last bottle of unchlorinated tap water add Miracle-Gro (
1tpsp of Miracle-Gro for every cup of water)
12. When the grass is planted and the water is mixed label the pots of
grass. 3 for sugar water, 3 for salt water, 3 for water with Miracle-Gro
added, 3 for spring water and 3 for chlorinated tap water.
13. From that point place the grass in an area where it will receive
sunlight and water the grass 2tpsp of water when needed. Record its
height every three days. (Grass received the morning sun and was left
to grow in the same spot).
Variables
Manipulated: The type of water used to water the grass
Responding: From the water used what grass grows best?
Controlled: Type of soil
Amount of soil
Type of grass seeds
Amount of grass seeds
Amount grass was watered
Environment
Amount of watering agent used
Results
Heights of the grass at the end of the experiment were:
Water used | Height
_____Salt
|
0__
____Sugar |
10cm
____Tap
|
11cm
____Spring |
10cm
Miracle-Gro |
6cm
12
10
Sugar
Salt
Tap
Spring
Nutrient
8
6
4
2
31
25
19
13
7
1
0
Y-axis: Height measured in cm
X-axis: Days
Conclusion
In conclusion the grass watered with the tap water
grew the tallest. Although this was the tallest, the grass
watered by the sugar water was the thickest and looked the
healthiest. The grass watered with the sugar water was also
the first to start growing and it was the tallest until day 22. If I
was to pick a water to use on a plant I would pick the sugar
water, because even though it wasn't tallest it was healthiest.
My hypothesis was incorrect. I thought that the grass
watered with the Miracle-Gro water would grow the best.
When put to the test it was the worst. The grass watered by
the Miracle-Gro water was the weakest (thin) and it stopped
growing at day 19 and began to die.
Sources of Error
Depending on what side of the table it was on some grass
may have received more sunlight than other grass.
• Where each pot of grass was only watered so much the
whole pot may have not gotten watered, leaving some seeds
ungerminated.
• Where I was always touching the grass to water it, that may
have affected its growing.
• The amounts of seeds that germinated in each pot.
• Soil may or may not have been dried out between watering.
• Solutions may have changed over time. (Weaker or
stronger).
•
Ways to Improve
Place grass in an area where you can be certain that
sunlight is going to reach each pot equally.
• Measure amount of grass placed in each pot.
• Measure amount of soil placed in pots, below and above
the grass seeds.
•Find another way to measure what water works best, so
that the grass isn't touched as much.
• Water grass each day.
•