Zareh+Deirmendjian

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Goals:
One of the goals of my experiment was to determine the effects of metal pollution on plants, and to determine at which concentrations do the metals become toxic to the plants. Another goal of my experiment was to determine the effects of fertilizer (Miracle Gro) and fertilizer-like substances (Phosphate) pollution on plants, and to determine at which concentrations do these substances become toxic to the plants. The problem of my experiment was how does metal or other substance pollution affect plants. I had 4 predictions, one for each substance being tested. 1. If the concentration of copper sulfate is increased, then the plant will be damaged. 2. If the concentration of zinc sulfate is increased, then the plant will be damaged. 3. If the concentration of phosphate sulfate is increased, then the plant will be damaged. 4. If the concentration of fertilizer in the form of sulfate is increased, then the plant will be damaged

Discoveries:
I learned that for almost all of the substances that anything past a concentration 0.01M is toxic to the plants. 1M concentrations gad the worst effect on the plants. The only substance that this was not true for was the Fertilizer. For some reason, the fertilizer plants did not problems with the higher concentrations. Some of the plants even had better results under the higher concentrations. From my experience, I will take away a new understanding of how metals and other substances can affect plants when in toxic concentrations. They lose their sturdiness and greenness. I also learned that in some of the plants, the copper, zinc, and phosphate and 0.001 and 0.01M concentrations seemed to help the plants. One surprise was how the Fertilizer 1M concentration did not have detrimental effects on the plants. My hypotheses and predictions were proved for all the substances tested except for the fertilizer.

**Challenges:** During the project, I encountered several problems. One was that the individual plotting holes in the 6 by 12 planting grids leaked water into the main container when the plants were watered. Another problem I had was that some of the seeds that were planted turned out to be duds, and did not germinate.

Solutions:
To solve the problem with the plotting grids, I drilled holes into the bottom of the plotting grids. To solve the problem of the seeds, I had thought about this before the problem arose and planted many 288 plants so that if there were duds then they would not drastically affect my experiment.

Looking Back:
If I could redo my experiment, I definitely would have not have grown so many plants, because although they gave me a lot of data, the workload they produced was a lot to handle. I also wish I started my project earlier than I did. Other than those ideas, there is not much I would have changed.

5 Things I Wish I Knew:
1. I wish I started my project earlier than I did. 2. I wish I created a better outline of what I wanted to do earlier than I did. The latest you should wait to start the experiment is right around spring break, but before spring break will give you a much more enjoyable and relaxed experience with your biology project.