Hannah Midles

Mrs. Norris
APES 1
st
period
19 September, 2014
LD50 Lab
Lab Collaborators: Evan Barnes, Riordan Siefring, and Jillian Thomas
Introduction:
Salt (NaCl - sodium chloride) is believed to be added to plants along the roadside and aquatic
plants by streams. To show the effects of vegetation growth, salt will be applied to radish seeds
in various amounts of concentrations of salt. After a week, we will measure and compare the
different lengths of radish plants varying on the dilute level of the salt concentration.
Problem:
What concentration of salt causes the greatest amount of vegetation growth to the radish seeds?
Hypothesis: If different salt solution concentrations are added to radish plant seeds, then petri
dish 3 with 3.0 mg/L of salt will have the greatest vegetation growth because it contains just the
right amount of salt for the radish seeds to flourish.
Parts of the Experiment:
Independent Variable: Concentration of salt solutions added to radish seeds
Dependent Variable: The response (germination of seeds and root size of radish seeds) to
the amount of salt concentrations
Control: Petri dish 6 with no salt solution
Experimental Variable: The petri dishes with the salt solutions added
Controlled: 10 seeds in each petri dish, size of petri dishes
Materials:
6 test tubes
Labeling tape
10mL graduated cylinder
Distilled water
Concentrated salt solutions ( 12.0 grams table salt / 1 liter distilled water
6 petri dishes
Paper towel
Pencil
60 radish seeds
Metric ruler
Calculator
Procedure:
1. Set up 6 test tubes in a test tube rack and label the tubes with the following salt
concentrations: 12.0 %, 6.0%, 3.0%, 1.5%, 0.75%, and control.
2. Add 10 mL of distilled water to test tubes #2-6.
3. Measure 20mL of concentrated solutions (12%) and pour into test tube 1.
4. Transfer 10mL of salt solution from test tube #1 to #2.
5. Repeat this step for all 6 test tubes.
6. Obtain 6 petri dishes and label number 1-6.
7. Fold half sheet of paper towel and place on bottom of petri dish.
8. Add water from corresponding numbers from test tube to petri dish.
9. Place 10 radish seeds in each petri dish.
10. After a week, calculate the percentage of seeds germinated.
11. Measure the length of the radicle.
12. Record data.
Data and Results:

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
0 0.75 1.5 3 6 12
R
e
s
p
o
n
s
e

Dose
Dose Response Curve
Series1
This table represents the result of the different concentration of salt to the radish seeds from our
group. The petri dish with the most salinity had only 40% of the seeds germinated and the radicle
growth was only 29.5 cm compared to the control, which 100% of seeds germinated and the
radicle growth was 89.7 cm. The longest, most successful growth, however, was the solution
with 0.75 concentration of salinity, with a radicle growth of 118.6, suggesting seeds need a little
salt to grow.














The line graph shows what the concentration of salt does to the growth of the radish seeds in our
group. The response (vertical) represents the length and the dose (horizontal) represents the
amount of salt concentration. The higher concentration of salt causes the growth rate of the
radicle to decrease.











This line graph is from the 8 groups is the class. This graph represents the mean from each
groups radish seeds when affected by the salt concentration doses. In our individual group date,
0.75% concentration had the most root growth, whereas in the class response, 0% salt
concentration had highest root growth. The lowest salt concentrations for both were at 12%.







0
20
40
60
80
100
120
12 6 3 1.5 0.75 0
P
e
r
c
e
n
t

o
f

s
e
e
d
s

g
e
r
m
i
n
a
t
e
d

Salt Concentration
Class Average of Seeds Germinated
Series1









This line graph shows the percentages of the seeds germinated from each group in the class.
Most of the seeds were germinated at 0% concentration of salt, and the least germinated were at
12% concentration of salt.

This picture recorded is the first day
where the radish seeds were placed in the salt
concentrations.







This picture shown is the last day of
radish seeds in the salt concentrations. Major
growth has occurred.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, my hypothesis did not turn out to be correct. I hypothesized the most radicle root
growth length would be in 3.0 percent of salt concentration, but according to my group data is
was 1.5 percent and according to the class data is was 0 percent salt concentration. Although, the
graphs did conclude to tell us that more salinity effects the growth of plants compared water
concentrations without salt. Even though we only tested the LD50 of seeds in water, I believe
this can accurately measure the death levels of toxicity in a human or other animal species. Even
though my class data and group data differed, it still both relayed the idea that less salt in plants
are better for growth. I feel although, this would be too risky to try on humans and half the
people you could test could die.


Works Cited
Background Activity 9: Dose/Response Expirements. 2003. Mysterious Illness Outbreak
Scenario. Oregon State University.