I was curious to see the effect of radiation or cigarette smoke on the growth of plants in the growing stage and from a seed. I wondered which would have the greatest effect or any affect at all on plant or seed growth. My mother wears a lead apron in her job to protect her from the effects of radiation exposure. I was curious to see what effects that exposure might have on plant growth. We all read about the negative effects of cigarette smoke. I wondered if cigarettes may effect plant growth as much as radiation.

INTRODUCTION

What are the effects of radiation on plant growth compared to the effects of cigarette smoke?

QUESTION

•Plants need clean carbon dioxide.•The type of air that is around them affects the way they live and grow.•The environment that they live in also affects them.•Some plants may not grow depending on lack of sun light and lack of water.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

If two plants/seeds are exposed to radiation and two plants are exposed to cigarette smoke, then the effects on the plants/seeds that were radiated and smoked will be a decrease in size or they may not grow at all, because of the compounds/elements that may kill the plant or hurt the growth of the plants/seeds.

HYPOTHESIS

The control group will be four untreated plants.The independent Variable will be cigarette smoke and different levels of radiation.The dependent variable will be the plant growth.The constants are the soil, sunlight and water.

Kvp = killavoltage: It explains the depth the radiation penetrates the plants. The lower the kvp, the more radiation the plant receives. Fifty kvp is low, so these plants received high radiation.Mas= Radiation contrast: The higher the contrast, the more the radiation the plant receives.

A. Planting cups - Quantity: 24 Size: 30 oz. Other: straw cupsB. Potting soil - Other: organicC. Radish seeds - Quantity: 48 Other: vegetableD. Plastic dome - Quantity: 1 Size: 16inches Other: clear half sphere E. Plastic trays - Quantity: 2 Size: 8inches Other: round 2 inch edgeF. Cigarettes - Quantity: 1 Size: package Other: high nicotineG. Centimeter ruler - Quantity:1 Other: measured in centimeters

MATERIALS

• Yes, I have a large enough sample size for the test to be valid.

• My sample size will need to be twenty-four.

Step one: Gather needed materials for the project.

Step two: Place two radish seeds in soil in each of twelve small planting cups.

PROCEDURE

Step three ‘a’: Let plants germinate for three weeks.

Step three ‘b’: Radiate bare seeds at 3 different levels of radiation.Level 1: 50 kvp, .4 mas (low radiation)Level 2: 50 kvp, 160 mas (mid radiation)Level 3: 50 kvp, 320 mas (high radiation)Smoke seeds to be smoked by cigarette smoke underneath the plastic dome.

PROCEDURE

Step four: Plant two radiated seeds from each level of radiation in six pots and plant two smoked seeds in two pots. Step five: Measure the centimeter growth of each growing plant at four weeks. Then radiate six of the plants that have been germinating: two each at three different levels of radiationLevel 1: 50 kvp, .4 mas (low radiation)Level 2: 50 kvp, 160 mas (mid radiation)Level 3: 50 kvp, 320 mas (high radiation)Smoke two of the plants that have already been germinating for one hour under the dome with constant cigarette smoke.

PROCEDURE

Step six: Let the newly planted seeds (with the variable inputs) germinate and grow for three weeks. Let the plants that were already growing continue growth after variables were input for another three weeks.Step seven: Measure plant growth in centimeters from each group and record growth process.Seed group at three weeks growth.Plant group at six weeks growth.Step eight: measure plant growth in centimeters from each group and record growth process. Seed group at five weeks growth.Plant group at eight weeks.Step nine: determine if hypothesis is correct.

PROCEDURE

Group 1Growing Plants

October 2, 2010 Two radish seeds planted in each of twelve pots

October 23, 2010Growth of plants at three weeksPlant one: 0 cm. Smoked for 1 hour under domePlant two: 0.3 cm. Smoked for 1 hour under domePlant three: 1.9 cm. Radiated 50 kvp, 160 mas (mid)Plant four: 1.6 cm. Radiated 50 kvp, 160 mas (mid)Plant five: 0.6 cm. Radiated 50 kvp, .4 mas (low)Plant six: 1.3 cm. Radiated 50 kvp, .4 mas (low)Plant seven: 0 cm. Allow normal growthPlant eight: 1.3 cm. Radiated 50 kvp, 320 mas (high)Plant nine: 0 cm. Allow normal growthPlant ten: 1.1 cm. Radiated 50 kvp, 320 mas (high)Plant eleven: 0.2 cm Allow normal growthPlant twelve: 0.3 cm. Allow normal growth

PLANT DATA

Group 2Bare Radish Seeds, not yet planted

October 23, 1010Variables introduced to seeds, then seeds were planted.

Plant one: Radiated 50 kvp, .4 mas (low)Plant two: Radiated 50 kvp, .4 mas (low)Plant three: Radiated 50 kvp, 160 mas (mid)Plant four: Radiated 50 kvp, 160 mas (mid)Plant five: Radiated 50 kvp, 320 mas (high)Plant six: Radiated 50 kvp, 320 mas (high)Plant seven: Smoked in dome for 2 hours with cigarette smokePlant eight: Smoked in dome for 2 hours with cigarette smokePlant nine: Smoked in dome for 2 hours with cigarette smokePlant ten: NormalPlant eleven: NormalPlant twelve: Normal

SEED DATA

November 9, 2010Growing plants: 6 weeks growth Seeds: 3 weeks growthPlant one: smoked 3.5 cm low radiation 1 cmPlant two: smoked 2.0 cm Low radiation 4.9 cm.Plant three: mid radiation 5.8 cm Mid radiation .5 cmPlant four: mid radiation 3.2 cm Mid radiation 3.8 cmPlant five: low radiation 4.4 cm High radiation .3 cmPlant six: low radiation 5.5 cm High radiation 0 cmPlant seven: normal 5 cm Smoked 0 cmPlant eight: high radiation 3.7 cm Smoked 3.5 cmPlant nine: normal 2.5 cm Smoked 4.2 cmPlant ten: high radiation 3.8 cm Normal 0 cmPlant eleven: normal 4.2 cm Normal 0 cmPlant twelve: normal 2.8 cm Normal 0 cm

GROWTH DATA

November 30, 2010Growing Plants: 8 weeks growth Seeds: 5 weeks growthPlant one: smoked (sick) 5 cm Low radiation 3.6 cmPlant two: Smoked (sick) 4.5 cm Low radiation 6.2 cmPlant three: mid radiation 9.2 cm Mid radiation 3 cmPlant four: mid radiation 8 cm Mid radiation 5 cmPlant five: low radiation 6.2 cm High radiation 7.8 cmPlant six: low radiation 7 cm High radiation 3.8 cmPlant seven: normal 7 cm Smoked 3.6 cmPlant eight: high radiation 6 cm Smoked 5 cmPlant nine: normal 2 cm Smoked 1 cmPlant ten: high radiation 7.5 cm Normal 4 cmPlant eleven: normal 2 cm Normal 4 cmPlant twelve: normal 5.3 cm Normal 7.2 cm

GROWTH DATA

PLANT GROWTH

SEED GROWTH

If two plants/seeds are exposed to radiation and two plants are exposed to cigarette smoke, then the effects on the

plants/seeds that were radiated and smoked will be a decrease in size or they may not grow at all, because of the

compounds/elements that may kill the plant or hurt the growth of the plants/seeds.

My Hypothesis was wrong.

CONCLUSION

Growing Plants: The plants that received mid range radiation grew the most. All radiated plants grew more than the smoked plants or the control group plants.

Seeds: Radiated and smoked seeds had faster initial growth than the normal seeds. However, growth in the smoked seeds slowed to about the same as the control group at 5 weeks. The growth of the radiated seeds increased at 5 weeks. The seed that received the most radiation grew more than all other seeds.

CONCLUSION CONTINUED

•The results were inconclusive.•This experiment needed a larger sample size with a longer growth cycle. •The plants that were smoked should have been smoked daily rather than just once to monitor the effects of cigarette smoke. It would be interesting to see if daily smoke exposure had negative effects on the plants.•It would also be interesting to see the affects of more than one exposure to radiation. Would the plants continue to have increased growth?•Radishes were used because they germinate quickly. It would be better to use a plant with a longer germination time and life cycle.•It was the wrong time of year to conduct this experiment with a vegetable plant. It would be better to start in the spring when plants are in a growth cycle rather than the fall. These plants received limited exposure to sunlight due to fall and winter conditions (cloud cover).

FUTURE RESULTS