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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V2 #386
> From: Cynthia Powers <cyn at metronet_com>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 17:27:16 -0600 (CST)
> Subject: Another science project question
> To whom it may concern,
> In my ninth grade biology class I conducted an experiment in which the
> effects of electricity on fast plants were observed. I did this by
> connecting a six volt battery to the soil of the plants (with wires),
> and left it for one month. My results showed that the electricity played
> the role of a substantial growth inhibitor. If you have any ideas as to
> why this may have happened, I would appreciate your input.
>
> Sincerely,
> Dan Ruch.
I believe I recall having read -- in some old issues of Organic Gardening
-- about some experiments regarding magnetic fields and plant growth. The
were finding that plant growth was encouraged when certain changes were
made in the magnetic fields the plants were exposed to. They also noted
that there was a marginal increase in experimental tomato plants grown in
tomato cages as opposed to staked tomatoes. But these experiments were
not terribly accurate or really conclusive (perhaps the cages offered
better, more even support than staking, etc., etc.)
But there have been other experiments which note tha plant growth IS
affected by magnetic fields. I would suspect that the currents you
applied could be inducing a magnetic field. It's also possible that the
current was affecting the uptake of minerals by the plants' roots, and
thus inhibiting growth. Free ions and all that. Been a long time since
chemistry classes.
-- Edziu