Science project

The Effect of Caffeine on Plant Growth

Type
Life Science, Plant Biology
Grade
Middle School, Seventh Grade
Difficulty of the Project
Medium
Cost
$10-$20
Safety Issues
No known safety issues.
Time Taken to Complete the Project
About three weeks.

Objective

The goal of this middle school science fair project is to examine the effect of caffeine on plant growth.

Materials

  • 1 packet of mung beans
  • 3 gardening pots
  • Enough soil to fill the 3 pots
  • Gardening utensils
  • Tap water
  • Caffeine tablets
  • Coffee powder
  • 2 beakers
  • 1 measuring cylinder
  • 1 digital weighing scale
  • 1 black marker

Introduction

Some plants seem to benefit and grow faster when caffeine is added to the soil, while others seem to become stunted or grow slower. There are also some plants that are not affected by the presence of caffeine in the soil. Caffeine can be introduced to the soil by sprinkling grounded coffee over the soil, adding leftover coffee to the pot or watering with a caffeine solution made by dissolving a caffeine tablet in water. The grounded coffee is actually organic matter and will help in adding nutrients to the soil. It will also attract worms that feed on the grounded coffee and at the same time help to aerate the soil.

Hypothesis

The mung beans watered using the coffee mixture will grow the fastest.

Experimental Procedure

  1. The independent variable is the solution used to water the plants – water, caffeine solution and a coffee mixture. The dependent variable is the growth of the mug bean plants. This is determined by measuring the height of the plants every day using a ruler. The constants (control variables) are the size of the pot, the concentration of caffeine and coffee, the amount of sunlight, the temperature of the environment (which will remain at room temperature) and the amount of water added daily.
  2. Fill the 3 pots with equal amounts of soil. Plant ten mug beans in each pot and allow them to germinate. Additional seeds can be placed in the pots in case some of the seeds do not germinate; the additional plants can be removed later.
  3. For the first 5 days, water the 3 pots with tap water only. Allow the seeds to germinate for the first 5 days.
  4. After 5 days, measure the height of the 10 plants in each pot. Add up the individual heights and divide by 10 to obtain the average height. Record the average heights in a table, as shown below.
  5. Prepare the caffeine solution by dissolving 10g of caffeine tablets in 100ml of water in a beaker. Label the beaker ‘caffeine’. Similarly, add 10g of coffee to 100ml of water in another beaker and label it ‘coffee’.
  6. Label the 3 pots ‘water’, ‘caffeine’ or ‘coffee’. Over the next 10 days, water the pots once a day with 100ml water, caffeine solution or coffee mixture, according to the labels on the pots.
  7. Measure and calculate the average height of the mung bean plants every day for the next 10 days. Record all calculations in a table.

Results

The results of the experiment were, mung beans grew faster in soil with caffeine.

Conclusion

The hypothesis that mung beans watered using a coffee mixture will grow the fastest has been proven to be true. The effect of caffeine on plant growth is still a subject under study. Using grounded coffee in garden lawns is a common practice to make plants grow faster. However, coffee also contains other ingredients like potassium and phosphorous, which are known to enhance plant growth. Experiments on plant growth using only caffeine have resulted in the plant leaves becoming wrinkled, turning brownish and exhibiting retarded growth.

Disclaimer and Safety Precautions

Education.com provides the Science Fair Project Ideas for informational purposes only. Education.com does not make any guarantee or representation regarding the Science Fair Project Ideas and is not responsible or liable for any loss or damage, directly or indirectly, caused by your use of such information. By accessing the Science Fair Project Ideas, you waive and renounce any claims against Education.com that arise thereof. In addition, your access to Education.com's website and Science Fair Project Ideas is covered by Education.com's Privacy Policy and site Terms of Use, which include limitations on Education.com's liability.

Warning is hereby given that not all Project Ideas are appropriate for all individuals or in all circumstances. Implementation of any Science Project Idea should be undertaken only in appropriate settings and with appropriate parental or other supervision. Reading and following the safety precautions of all materials used in a project is the sole responsibility of each individual. For further information, consult your state's handbook of Science Safety.

Add to collection

Create new collection

Create new collection

New Collection

0

New Collection>

0 items