[ticktockclok]

Umm... yeah. We have to do a lab on the effects of acid rain on plant growth. I know that acid rain hampers plant growth, but could someone give me a site? I already searched and found stuff about the ph scale and alkalinity and acidity.

What's the difference between alkalinity and acidity? I tried to understand it from what I read, but I was dazed.

Thanks,

ticktockclok

[Neraphym]

Do you know what ph levels are? An acid is something with a ph level of 1 to 7 but not including 7, distilled water (100% pure, the stuff that won't conduct electricity) has exactly 7, and 7-14 is a base (alkaline). I don't really know much about its effects on plant growth, though I'd suspect acid kills and basic overgrows. Back in 7th grade (3 years ago...) I remembered a computer program we used. You'd type in acidity, turbidity, and some other facters and it would show you the effect it'd have on a lake echosystem. I remembered a lot of plants existing in highly alkaline lakes, and something like limestone helping make lakes basic.

[ticktockclok]

Really? Yeah, I knew about the ph scale, but I wasn't sure about the difference between a base substance and an acid substance. Basic substances make plants grow better... I'll look that up. Maybe fertilizers, like Miracle-Gro, are basic?

EDIT: I think I found my answer!

[Miotu]

Hey Ticktock. The reason why acid rain affects plant growth is because plant growth involves enzymes. Enzymes you see, are proteins that lower the energy needed to conduct chemical reactions. They do this by facilitating in the breaking down/building up of different substances that a plant/animal need. However, when either the environment of the enzymes is heated, there is a change in pH, or if the salinity increases too much, the enzyme "denatures" or breaks down, thus is incapable of doing its job. As a result, the plant cannot go through the basic metabolic processes that it needs to live, and thus dies.


I hope that helped...that comes directly from what I learned this year in AP Biology II (in fact, I just finished taking my AP test 3 days ago!)

[ticktockclok]

[Ferret Overlord]

We're just finished the introduction to PH factors. Expirementing with Red Cabbage Juice and stuff. I know that if there's a certain amount of acidity, the soil becomes a spoiler, ruining fresh rain and cutting off the plants supply of fresh water. I don't think that really helps, I just wanted to say what I know...

[ticktockclok]

[Killerconvic]

Speaking of dissections, my Anatomy Class is dissecting a fetal pig on Tuesday.

If anyone needs science help, I should be able to provide it.

[ticktockclok]

[Killerconvic]

We are dissecting a cat later on, sometime in June

[ticktockclok]

[Killerconvic]

I'm not kidding..

[ticktockclok]

If its in June, it would be on the last days of school, right? At least here, where school ends June 4th. Would you have enough time to do it in June? But still... that's sickening.

[Killerconvic]

We end on the 17th. Maryland had terrible weather this year. Hurricane, semi-blizzard, rain-out (floods all over), etc..

[Miotu]

yup ticktock, I doubt Killer when he says he is going to dissect a cat...it is actually quite a common thing to look at anatomically, as are fetal pigs . I never did that in my anatomy class last year...we looked at rats mostly, as well as a few sheep brains, and cow eyes.