Madelines Srp draft

Aim:- To determine which type of soil is most ideal for plant growth.
Research:- A plant needs water, sunlight and nutrients. It receives the
carbon and oxygen from the air and the hydrogen from water in the soil. It
also requires small amounts of other elements including calcium,
potassium, nitrogen, etc. It gets these from nutrients in the soil. So for a
soil to be ideal for a plant it would need these nutrients. The soil also
needs to be loose enough for the roots to be able to spread out, but
compacted enough that the roots come in contact with the soil to absorb
water and nutrients.
The variables are:
Type of soil- Independent
Growth of plant- Dependent
Amount of water given- Controlled
Hypothesis:- Potting Mix will be the most ideal soil.
Equipment:- Plastic cups, potting mix, cotton balls, dirt, sand, ruler, water,
measuring cup, plant seeds, permanent marker
Dangers:- Dirt could ruin property. Dirt could get in eyes.
Method:1. Collect materials by buying potting mix, cotton wool and sand and
digging dirt from the ground.
2. Put the different soil materials into plastic cups. 3 of each type of
material.
3. Put a seed in each plastic cup 5 cm below surface.
4. For each of the soil materials, mark the cups A, B and C.
5. Place the cups in a sunny spot.
6. Water each of the plants daily using a measuring cup to ensure each
plant is given the same amount of water.
7. Measure and record how much each plant has grown every day for 3
weeks.
Results:-

A
Date

16/3
17/3
18/3
19/3

Potting mix
plant growth
(cm)
0
0
0
0

Dirt plant
growth (cm)

Sand plant
growth (cm)

0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

Cottonwool
plant growth
(cm)
0
0
0
0

20/3
21/3
22/3
23/3
24/3
25/3
26/3
27/3
28/3
29/3
30/3
31/3
1/4
2/4
3/4
4/4
5/4

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.0
1.5
1.0
1.5
1.5
1.0
1.0
0.5
1.5
1.5

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.5
2.5
1.5
1.0
1.0
2.0
1.0
0.5
1.5

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.0
1.0
0.5
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.5

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Date

Potting mix
plant growth
(cm)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5

Dirt plant
growth (cm)

Sand plant
growth (cm)

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.0
1.5
0.5
1.0
0.5
0.5
1.0
0.5
1

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.5
1.5
1.0
0.5
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.5

Cottonwool
plant growth
(cm)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Potting mix
plant growth
(cm)
0

Dirt plant
growth (cm)

Sand plant
growth (cm)

16/3
17/3
18/3
19/3
20/3
21/3
22/3
23/3
24/3
25/3
26/3
27/3
28/3
29/3
30/3
31/3
1/4
2/4
3/4
4/4
5/4

C
Date

16/3

Cottonwool
plant growth
(cm)
0

17/3
18/3
19/3
20/3
21/3
22/3
23/3
24/3
25/3
26/3
27/3
28/3
29/3
30/3
31/3
1/4
2/4
3/4
4/4
5/4
Total
A
B
C

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.5
1
1.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
1
1
Potting Mix
(cm)
12
5
7.5

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.5
1
1

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.5

Dirt (cm)

Sand (cm)

12.5
7.5
3.5

6
8
0.5

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Cotton Wool
(cm)
0
0
0

Analysis:Average growth of plant in each type of soil:

Potting Mix- 8.17cm
Dirt- 7.83cm
Sand- 4.83cm
Cotton wool- 0.00cm
Average daily growth of plant in each type of soil:
Potting Mix: 0.39cm
Dirt: 0.37cm
Sand: 0.23cm
Cotton wool: 0cm
Discussion:- Problems encountered are that rain made it difficult to ensure each
plant received the same amount of water. To fix this, plants would need to be
placed undercover. A shadow blocked sun from some plants. To fix this the object
casting the shadow would need to be moved.
Conclusion:- Potting mix was the most effective soil. The aim was met and the
hypothesis of potting mix being the most ideal was correct.