Jan. 18, 2006

See the Effects of Acid Rain

Learn about the effects of acid rain.

This experiment will test the effects of acid rain on the growth of seeds over a seven-day period. You will attempt to sprout two crops of alfalfa seeds: one with water and one with acid rain.

Materials

• Notebook
• Pen
• 4 ounces alfalfa seeds (available at health food stores)
• 2 1-quart glass jars
• Flat-bottomed strainer or 3-inch-square piece of fine screen
• Gallon plastic container with lid
• Water
• Vinegar
• Masking tape
• Measuring spoons

Directions

Read through the experiment and formulate a hypothesis—what you think the results will be—for each of the 2 jars. Write it in your notebook. The experiment will prove or disprove your hypothesis.

Label the 2 quart jars with masking tape as follows: "Jar 1 Water" and "Jar 2 Acid Rain."

Fill plastic jug with water. Mix in 4 tablespoons vinegar. Vinegar is acidic. This mixture of water and vinegar matches the acid levels of the rain that falls in some areas. Label the bottle "Acid Rain—Do Not Drink" and store in a safe place.

Measure 2 tablespoons alfalfa seeds into each jar. Fill Jar 1 with tap water. Fill Jar 2 with acid rain. Soak seeds in both jars overnight. The next morning, hold the strainer or screen flat against the mouth of Jar 1 to keep the seeds from falling out. Strain all the water into a sink. Place your hand on the mouth of the jar, turn the jar on its side, and shake it to distribute seeds evenly along the side. Lay jar on its side and place it somewhere out of direct sunlight. do the same with Jar 2.

Keep a journal of sprouting activity for each jar with a chart like the one shown below.

Days	Jar 1: Water	Jar 2: Acid Rain
Day 1	_	_
Day 2	A few seed covers splitting	_
Day 3	Some sprouting	_
Day 4	Half of seeds sprouting	_

Twice a day, cover the seeds in Jar 1 with tap water. Immediately strain the water into the sink using the screen and your hand to protect the seeds. Shake the jar to redistribute the seeds. Replace the jar in its former place. Do the same with Jar 2, except rinse with the acid rain solution instead of water. Follow this procedure for both jars for 7 days. If you run out of the acid rain solution, mix another batch combining 4 tablespoons of vinegar with a gallon of water.

After 7 days, describe the results from each of the sprouting jars in your journal. Review your hypothesis. Explain in a few sentences why you think your hypothesis was correct or incorrect. What can you hypothesize about the effects of acid rain in the natural world? What additional experiments could you do to test your hypothesis? Would it be harder to control your experiment in nature? How could you overcome these difficulties?

Reprinted with permission from The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to Windmills by Gretchen Woelfle. Published by Chicago Review Press, distributed by Independent Publishers Group (www.ipgbook.com). Copyright © 1997 by Gretchen Woelfle.

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