The Effect of Acid Rain on Plants
Susan Base, Jessica Best, Amy Crook, and
Tya Dawson
Materials
• greenhouse
• 5 half flats
• 180 bean seeds
• Acids of varying pHs
• Distilled water - to serve as a
control
•Soil
•Digital
camera - to record
appearance
•Rulers
to record growth
(height in cm) of the plants
Research Questions
1. How will different concentrations of acid affect the
growth and appearance of bean plants?
2. At what rate will each group of plants deteriorate?
3. What is the ideal acidity of liquid for the bean plants to
thrive?
4. How does this relate to acid rain in our environment?
Research Questions
1.The lower the pH level the more damage caused to the
plants.
Measurements for 11/22/02
P lant
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
#18
# of Days
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
Level of Acidity Height (cm)
pH-1
12
pH-1
22.9
pH-1
20.2
pH-1
19.1
pH-1
16.7
pH-1
15.9
pH-1
18.8
pH-1
24.2
pH-1
23.3
pH-1
13.3
pH-1
18.1
pH-1
11.7
pH-1
21.5
pH-1
22.3
pH-1
18
pH-1
20.6
pH-1
17.7
pH-1
19.1
Appearance
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
Research Questions
2. Deterioration: the decline in the health and growth of
the plants in the specified tray.
Control: most successful
pH-1: least successful of the acid groups
Nitric: most successful of the acid groups
Research Questions
3. The ideal acidity would contain pH levels between 5 and 7, similar to
that of water.
Measurements for 11/22/02
T ype
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
pH5
# of Days
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
Level of Acidity Height (cm)
pH5
44.6
pH5
23.2
pH5
29.1
pH5
26
pH5
27.2
pH5
16.1
pH5
26.5
pH5
24.2
pH5
28.7
pH5
17.6
pH5
24.1
pH5
25.7
pH5
27.5
pH5
28
pH5
25.3
pH5
24.5
pH5
26
pH5
22.6
Appearance
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Research Questions
4. Serves as a model to acid rain to our because the higher acid
concentration the less likely plants would be able to survive
Measurements for 11/22/02
P lant
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
#18
# of Days Level of Acidity Height (cm)
24
pH-1
12
24
pH-1
22.9
24
pH-1
20.2
24
pH-1
19.1
24
pH-1
16.7
24
pH-1
15.9
24
pH-1
18.8
24
pH-1
24.2
24
pH-1
23.3
24
pH-1
13.3
24
pH-1
18.1
24
pH-1
11.7
24
pH-1
21.5
24
pH-1
22.3
24
pH-1
18
24
pH-1
20.6
24
pH-1
17.7
24
pH-1
19.1
Appearance
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
P oor
The Five Groups of Plants
Control Group: Tray 1
Distilled Water
BEFORE
Control Group: Tray 1
Distilled Water
AFTER
pH -1 : Tray 2
BEFORE
pH -1 : Tray 2
AFTER
pH 1 : Tray 3
BEFORE
pH 1 : Tray 3
AFTER
pH 4 : Tray 4
BEFORE
pH 4 : Tray 4
AFTER
pH5 : Tray 5
BEFORE
pH5 : Tray 5
AFTER
Descriptive Statistics
by solution
Bar Chart of Solution and
Appearance
Final Appearance
Final Height Measurements
Methods/Process

Watered/Measured on November 12th,16th,19th,22nd

Solutions measured in designated squirt bottles

Same person measured her designated tray.

Only one person took photographs to ensure appearance accuracy
We will first calculate the amount of acid to add to the distilled water to
obtain the desired pH.

Hypothesis based on our
process

The concentration of the acid used to water the plant will be inversely proportionate to
the height of plant growth

The higher concentrations of acid will cause the leaves to turn yellow or be smaller
than the leaves of the plants that have been treated with lower concentrations of acid.

The plants' rate of deterioration will depend on the concentration
of the acid within water

The plants treated with the higher acidic pH levels
will deteriorate more quickly than those with lower pH levels.
Acid Rain on a larger scale

acid rain is a huge contributing factor to the harm of ecosystems.

Acid rain is generally made up of acidic gases that have dissolved in rainwater.

Rain-water usually has a pH level of about 5

Acid Rain usually has an average pH level of 4.4, but it can be lowered to 4
or even 3 due to the acidic gases in the environment.

These gases are generally the pollutants of energy companies and other
highly polluting sources in our environment.
Acid Rain Prevention
• SO2 emissions from power stations can be reduced
• Alternative energy sources such as hydroelectric, wind,
solar, and geothermal powers can be used instead of
burning fossil fuels
• Anything that consumes less energy overall should be
used