
Sea Water and Bamboo Growth
Medium
Does watering bamboo with sea water help it grow or kill it? Sea water is sometimes used to fight forest fires. This project tests what that salt water does to plants over five days.
You divide 15 bamboo plants into three groups. Group A gets only tap water. Group B gets sea water once, then tap water. Group C gets sea water every day.
Group A grows fast. Group B grows slowly. Group C wilts and dies. The results show how even one dose of sea water can slow bamboo growth.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that watering bamboo plants with sea water will cause their growth to be stunted or will cause the plants to wilt and die.
Method & Materials
You will divide 15 bamboo plants into 3 groups, water each group differently, and measure the average height of the plants each day.
You will need 15 bamboo plants, 15 pots, soil, sea water, tap water, and a ruler.
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See what’s includedResults
The bamboo plants did not grow well in sea water.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it shows how different types of water can affect the growth of plants.
Also Consider
Variations of this experiment could include using brackish water or water from freshwater lakes or ponds, or repeating the experiment with different plants such as plants that grow near the ocean.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related video
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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