Effect of Antifreeze Type and Concentration on Soybean Growth





PURPOSE

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of various types and concentrations of antifreeze on the growth of soybeans.

I became interested in this idea because my mom and I raise a garden. I was wondering why some plants die for no apparent reason. Then I wondered if pollutants, like gas or antifreeze in cars, have anything to do with it. 

The information gained from this experiment would help gardeners, farmers, and others involved in agriculture understand how antifreeze affects some plants.  It might show those in the automotive industry that antifreeze is a possible danger to our society and that it might need to be disposed of in special ways.

HYPOTHESIS

My first hypothesis was that ethylene glycol would cause the soybeans to grow more poorly than the soybeans treated with propylene glycol.

I based my hypothesis on a previous study done in 2003 by Joel Freeborn, “The Effect with Propylene Glycol on the growth of radishes.” He said that “propylene glycol’s poisonous and an ounce of that would be able to kill young children,” In his conclusion it said that it was his hypothesis was correct.

My second hypothesis was that as the concentration of antifreeze increases the growth of soybeans would decrease.

  
EXPERIMENT DESIGN

The constants in this study were: 

The type of soybean seeds 

The amount of antifreeze I put on each soybean

The growing temperature

The soil type, amount

Amount of light

Planting depth

The types of antifreeze used within each group

The manipulated variables were the types of antifreeze and the concentration applied.

The responding variable was the mass of the soybeans. 

 To measure the responding variable I uprooted the plants, removed the dirt and used a triple beam balance to determine the mass.


MATERIALS

QUANTITY
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Disposable planting trays
     100 
Soybean seeds
      1 gal.
Propylene glycol
       1 gal.
Ethylene glycol
     1      
Planting lamp
Timer
1
bag Planting soil
Eye droppers
1000 ml. pitchers
1
Scout Pro (scale)


PROCEDURES

1. Put dirt in disposable planting trays bounce the soil and pack it in

2. Cut tray into 3 equal trays of 8 cells.

3. Plant 24 soybeans in each tray

4. Water them every three days

5. Label the trays

6. Place them in a nice place to grow

7. Grow until about two centimeters tall

8. Mix 1.0ml propylene glycol with 99ml H2O

9. Dose the soybean sprouts with 5 grams each of 1.0ml propylene glycol

10. Write down what you observed

11. Mix 1.0ml ethylene glycol with 99ml H2O

12. Dose the soybean sprouts with 5 grams each 1.0ml ethylene glycol

13. Take observations of what you did

14. Wait about three or four days until you dose the soybean sprouts again with propylene Glycol and ethylene glycol again 

15. Mix 0.5ml Of propylene glycol mixed with 99.5ml H2O 

16. Take the new mixture and pour it on the plants

17. Repeat step 8 on the controlled groups but with normal water 

18. Do the same thing as you did on step eight except use ethylene glycol

19. Pluck one of the propylene glycol soybean plants

20. Put them on the scout pro (scale)

21. Write the weight for the propylene glycol plant

22. And pluck another one and repeat steps 20-21 for all the plants

23. Pluck the ethylene glycol soybean plants

24. Put them on the scout pro (scale)

25. Study their weight and write what you observed


RESULTS

The original purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of various types and concentrations of antifreeze on the growth of soybeans.

The results of the experiment were that the ethylene glycol group weighed less than the propylene glycol plants did. Both weighed less than the control group.  

 
                                                            CONCLUSION

My hypothesis was that ethylene glycol would cause the soybeans to grow more poorly than the soybeans that were tinted with the propylene glycol.

The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted because the ethylene glycol group weighed a lot less than the propylene glycol did when I measured them.   


Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if it would change the findings if I used more or less propylene glycol and ethylene glycol on the soybeans, and also if I grew the soybeans longer?

If I were to conduct this project again I would definitely use more plants for my project, I also would conduct my experiment during the summer so there would be better light for the plants. Another thing that I would change if I conducted this project again is I would make more concentrations of antifreeze to water the soybeans with. I would also put them in a place where my cat can’t get to them so I didn’t have to start over.


Researched by ---- Natalie F


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