Effect Of Acid Rain On Pine Trees example essay topic

Year 10 Student Research Assignment - By Joel Jacob Aim: The aim of my experiment was to find out how an acid rain solution effects pine trees in different ways and whether limestone changes the effects of the acid rain. Introduction: My experiment will prove whether limestone neutralises the effect of acid rain on pine trees. Through this experiment we you would be able to safely neutralise acidic soil because of the testing I have carried out. Hypothesis: In my experiment I will conduct an experiment with the results showing that limestone neutralises the effect of acid rain on pine trees and will therefore keep the trees healthy. Method: 1. Line eight trees up in a line spacing them around 30 cm apart.

Space them this distance so it eliminates any possibility of trees and substances coming into contact with each other. 2. Label the trees in order from experimental variable 1, experimental variable 2, control 1, and control 2.3. Add 14 grams of limestone to experimental 1. Put 28 grams of limestone to experimental 2, 21 grams for control 1 and NO limestone to control 2.4.

Make sure acid rain solution is watered down to strictly 10% sulfuric acid and 90% water. If this is not accurate it may burn the trees strait away or it could have an unnoticeable effect and ruin your experiment. Once you have the solution pour 120 ml of acid rain onto the leaves and around the base of all the trees except for control 1 which you put 120 ml's of town water on. You may wish to place onto a surface other than grass as the acid rain solution will most certainly kill the grass. 5. Record your results by taking photos and observing the changes that happen between the different trees.

Once a week repeat the process of putting the limestone into the soil and also water the trees with their correct types of water. Record everything you do to the trees every time you do it. I designed this experiment in order to identify control variables and ensure that the test variable is not effected by any other factors by spacing the trees a safe distance of about 30 cm away from each other to take out any possibility of the trees becoming contaminated with other and any of the substances coming into contact with each other. Results: Experimental Variable 1. This is a picture of the experimental 1 trees. You can see how healthy and thriving they are.

The limestone has been added to the soil here. The following picture is of the experimental 1 trees at the end of the experiment. You can see how severely the acid rain has effected the trees. It is really quite drastic it has been effected in the short period of time that my experiment was going. Around 50% of the tree has been effected so bad that it has died.

Experimental Variable 2. This is a picture of experimental 2 plants at the start of the experiment. These plants were also were very healthy and you can see the extra amounts of limestone in the bottom which will further neutralise the effect of the acid. This is the experimental 2 trees at the end of the experiment. These have still been effected by the acid but not as severely as experimental 1. This is because of the extra amounts of limestone added to the soil which neutralises the acidity in the water more than usual.

Control Variable 1. The picture on the previous page is of Control 1. These were the trees with no acid rain added to them, instead they got normal water. They received more limestone still to see if that had any effect onto the trees. This is the trees at the end and you can see that the limestone has had no effect at all towards them. Control Variable 2.

These are the control 2 trees at the start of the experiment. They received no limestone but the acid rain solution. This is a photo of control 2 at the end of the experiment. The acid has severely attacked these trees. This is because there was no limestone to neutralise the effect of the acid. In conclusion this experiment has been a success.

I have results showing that limestone stops the effect of acid rain on pine trees due to neutralization. Discussion: I think that my experiment has gone well and I think that I have firm results to show that limestone stops the effect of acid rain. To make the experiment even more accurate I may have had several more trees, e.g. 10 at each variable, but this would become a bit costly. Conclusion: In conclusion to my experiment my results have shown that they support my aim and hypothesis. Through limestone in the soil acid rain has been neutralised and has had a lesser than normal effect on potted pine trees. Acknowledgements / bibliography: o 'Science fair projects 2'.

Published in 1998 by 'Educa Books' o 'Salinity in the Eastern Murray' by the 'Salt Team' o 'Pine farm forestry'. Written by Murray Brown. Logbook: o Saturday 24th May: Thought of an idea for my student research project o Sunday 25th May: Got the needed materials for my project o Week 1: Monday 26th May: Planted the eight trees, added the limestone to the trees and started watering them, took photo's of the trees, added acid rain mixture o Thursday 29th May: Watered the plants with the correct mixture o Week 2: Monday 2nd June: Added more limestone, watered the trees with correct mixture, added acid rain mixture o Thursday 5th June: Watered the plants with the correct mixture o Week 3: Monday 9th June: Added more limestone, watered the trees with correct mixture, added acid rain mixture o Thursday 12th June: Watered the plants with the correct mixture o Week 4: Monday 16th June: Added more limestone, watered the trees with correct mixture, added acid rain mixture o Thursday 19th June: Watered the plants with the correct mixture o Saturday 21st June: Took Photos of the trees, took observations and completed the write up of my student research project.