Andrew's Senior Project: Copper Sulfate & Plant Development

In summary: It was a small pool so it probably didn't do much damage, but it's good to know.Nice project Andrew! And thanks for keeping us updated on it, it is appreciated.Andrew has completed a project that shows the physical effects copper sulfate can have on early plant development. He used intelligent members of Physics Forums to help him with the experiment, and he would like to share the results with a science community that may find the information useful. The link below should take you to the presentation. Please leave a reply if you have any thoughts, questions, or corrections.
  • #1
Andrew333
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Hello, I'm Andrew and I'm in 12th grade. If you are interested, I would like to share a presentation showing the process, observations, results of an experiment showing the physical effects copper sulfate can have on early plant development. I, with much help from some intelligent members of Physics Forums, completed this experiment as my senior project and wish to contribute the results in some way to a science community that may find the information possibly useful or, at the least, interesting. The link below should direct you to it. Please leave a reply to this thread if you have any thoughts, questions, or corrections. Enjoy and thank you very much.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1didDWgExe3VjG1DSgEdOFnfRarr92K0bR_8l_95k3rs/edit?usp=sharing
 
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  • #2
Very nice! I wasn't even aware copper sulfate was an issue for plants!
 
  • #3
The old tailings zones from eg UK's prehistoric & Roman copper mines have a distinct flora, of strains evolved to tolerate the metal's toxicity.

Also, IIRC, when a pH-reagent mix-up at a water treatment plant in UK liberated a surfeit of copper ions from the area's domestic piping, a lot of people took ill...
 
  • #4
Andrew333 said:
Hello, I'm Andrew and I'm in 12th grade. If you are interested, I would like to share a presentation showing the process, observations, results of an experiment showing the physical effects copper sulfate can have on early plant development. I, with much help from some intelligent members of Physics Forums, completed this experiment as my senior project and wish to contribute the results in some way to a science community that may find the information possibly useful or, at the least, interesting. The link below should direct you to it. Please leave a reply to this thread if you have any thoughts, questions, or corrections. Enjoy and thank you very much.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1didDWgExe3VjG1DSgEdOFnfRarr92K0bR_8l_95k3rs/edit?usp=sharing

Very nice Andrew. During my Bachelor studies I have also worked with Copper sulfate and some copper nanoparticles for toxicity assays. It is interesting to see the effects on a different plant species now. Keep up the good work!
 
  • #5
Nice project Andrew! And thanks for keeping us updated on it, it is appreciated.

For those not familiar with it, Copper Sulfate is used in low concentrations (50ppm), as a fungicide in both agriculture and aquaculture. I used to live near a golf course where the water hazards (ponds) were periodically treated with Copper Sulfate to kill the algae without harming the fish.

Again, Nice Job.
Tom

(p.s. other uses at: https://www.greenwaybiotech.com/blogs/news/7-reasons-to-keep-copper-sulfate-handy-in-your-home)
 
  • #6
Tom.G said:
For those not familiar with it, Copper Sulfate is used in low concentrations (50ppm), as a fungicide in both agriculture and aquaculture. I used to live near a golf course where the water hazards (ponds) were periodically treated with Copper Sulfate to kill the algae without harming the fish.

Now that you mention it, I think I used to treat my pool with a copper based product to kill the algae that would grow.
 

1. What is the purpose of Andrew's Senior Project?

The purpose of Andrew's Senior Project is to investigate the effects of copper sulfate on plant development.

2. How did Andrew conduct his experiment?

Andrew conducted his experiment by setting up two groups of plants - one group was watered with a solution of copper sulfate, while the other group was watered with plain water. He then observed and recorded the growth and development of both groups of plants over a period of time.

3. What were the results of Andrew's experiment?

The results of Andrew's experiment showed that the plants watered with copper sulfate had stunted growth and yellowing of leaves, while the plants watered with plain water had normal growth and healthy green leaves.

4. What does this experiment tell us about the effects of copper sulfate on plants?

This experiment suggests that copper sulfate can have negative effects on plant growth and development. It is important to use this chemical carefully and in appropriate amounts to avoid harming plants.

5. What are the potential real-world applications of this project?

This project has potential real-world applications in agriculture and gardening, as it highlights the potential risks of using copper sulfate as a pesticide or fertilizer. It also emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research before using any chemicals on plants.

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