Acid
Rain
How green
is my valley?
Introduction | Invitation | Exploration | Explanation | Taking Action | Conclusion
When you come into contact with a harmful chemical, you can move away from the chemical or wash the chemical from your skin. Plants are not able to "get up and move" away from harmful things. Many plants are extremely sensitive to rain with a low pH.
Objective:
- You will observe the effects of acid rain on plants.
Materials:
Choose
one of the experiments from
below.
Seed
germination experiment materials: Plant
growth experiment materials: 40 quick
germinating seeds 6 plants of
the same type and age acid rain
solution acid rain
solution distilled
water distilled
water small paper
or cloth towels small
plastic sandwich bags
(mustard, radish, grass, etc.)
(vinegar and water solution with pH 4.0)
(vinegar and water solution with pH 4.0)
Invitation:
Using the Internet, research types of crops farmed in your area. Using the "Acid rain and Me?" bulletin board, post what you discovered about crop types in your area.
Top
Seed
germination experiment: Plant
growth experiment: 1. Label 2
plastic sandwich bags -- one as "unpolluted water"
and the other as "acid rain." 1. Place 6
plants in a sunny location or under a plant grow
light. Label 3 plants as "unpolluted water" and the
remaining 3 plants as "acid rain." 2. Count
out 20 seeds and place the seeds in the center of a
towel. Fold towel with the seeds in the center and
place in sandwich bag marked as "unpolluted
water." 2. Measure
and record the height of each plant. Observe and
record the general appearance of each
plant. 3. Add 10
ml of distilled water to the bag to thoroughly wet
the towel. Drain any excess water from bag. Seal
bag and place in a warm dark place. 3. Water
the "unpolluted water" plants with distilled water
every day. At the same time of day water the "acid
rain" plants. Give both sets of plants the
same amount of water. 4. Repeat
steps 2 and 3 from above with the remaining 20
seeds using "acid rain." 4. Record
any changes in both groups of plants. 5. In three
days open each bag and examine the contents of the
towel. Count the number of germinated seeds and
ungerminated seeds in each towel.
Exploration:
Choose
one of the experiments from below. Post all of your
observations and results on the
"Acid rain and
Me?" bulletin
board.
Top
Divide into groups and choose one question to discuss. Report your ideas to the remainder of the class after your group discussion.
1. In the seed germination experiment, would you expect different results with different types of seeds? Why or why not?
2. How might a farmer's crops be affected by acid rain?
Top
Taking
Action:
Use the internet to determine if there are any environmental scientists who have conducted plant physiology experiments similar to the ones you did in this activity.
How could
experimentation with plants be used to convince others of
the damaging effects of acid
rain?
Top