Scientific Report by herim choi

As Tyson Brown wrote in National Geographic (2022), in the photosynthesis process “the water is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, while the carbon dioxide is reduced, so it gains electrons” producing oxygen and glucose, the latter being the energy osurce of the plant.
It can be concluded that water is one of the main reactants, but have you ever wondered what would happen if water was modified and if it is, would it affect the growth of the plant? Well, this experiment was made to solve this doubt, and confirm or deny the hypothesis, which is that vinegar, copper sulfate, and, clay mixed with water will make the plant grow slower. The plants watered under these conditions are going to be weaker than the one that wasn’t modified. Varying this variable could possibly change the molecule of water because of the new compounds added to it, making it harder to break down, and altering the whole process. That is the motivation behind the experiment, check how much you can modify compounds needed until it slows down the growth. The substitutes were chosen as they were all different elements, one is a mineral (copper sulfate) and the effect of it could vary a lot on the final result. Like many sites say, such as Taylor & Francis Online (2008), copper sulfate is frequently used in agriculture as a pesticide to kill fungi. Overuse of this substance alters the photosynthesis process of the plant by causing leaf discoloration, root damage, decline in the amount of chlorophyll, reduced growth and/or eventual death of the crop. Corn has a medium to low necessity for copper, comparing it to other vegetable crops, so the implementation of copper into the water may exceed the amount needed for its ideal growth. Then, vinegar has an acidic pH, contrasting to the neutral pH of water, that will affect the plant’s growth regardless, since it alters the soil where the plant is placed, additionally destroying the cell membranes of the plant’s leaves. Although concentrated vinegar will likely kill the plant. This component was also chosen since it could be thrown on the drain and possibly end up on crops, having a realistic way of occurring. Finally, clay is a compound commonly found and not related to the cultivation process of any sort, so its effect on the corn plant is not as decipherable and specific as the other compounds. With all of this modifications to the needed conditions, will the corn plants survive or die trying?