Tousif Sadid Dewan

The Effect of A Plant Growth Using Multiple Soft Drink

Introduction
In general, we use water for plant growth because water helps plant by respiration, photosynthesis and
transporting important nutrients through the plants from the soil. What would happen if we use some soft
drink instead of water? Right now The most famous soft drink in the world is Coca-Cola. Approximately 2
billion people every day buy this drink for this drinks popularity. The test is to examine that the seed can
grow with the help of Coca-Cola. But the Coca-Cola is not good for our creature. Maybe it is a Plant or
maybe it is an animal or Human. But high consumption of Coca-Cola to Human cause diabetes. Within 40
minutes, the body has absorbed all of the caffeine from the Cola, causing dilation of pupils and an
increase in blood pressure. Also, it effects on the growth of plants. In this test, a seed will test with the
different type of Coca-Cola. For example, Diet Coca-Cola; Light Coca-Cola; Normal Coca-Cola; They all
are different from their ingredients. So, this test will ensure how the Coca-Cola effect on plant life.

Aim
The aim of the investigation is to examine a seed with different kinds of Coca-Cola flavor. We will notice
the reaction of a seed. Also, we will measure the length of plant growing after 2 weeks using water and
also different flavor Coca-Cola.

Research Question
How will Coca-Cola affect the growth of plants?

Hypothesis
I am guessing that adding a different kind of Coca-Cola will affect the plants negatively. Because The
three most common acids in soft drinks are citric, carbonic and phosphoric acids. Citric acid comes
from citrus products and any soft drink with citrus flavoring will contain it. The chemical formula is
H3C6H5O7. Carbonic acid forms from dissolved carbon dioxide, which is present in almost all soft drinks
including Coca-Cola obviously. In the Normal Cola-Cola, there is a huge amount of sugar, I think it may
be the longest length. Also, the other Colas have different kinds of ingredient so it depends on their
ingredient but both have some specific amount of calories inside of it. In Diet Cola, it contains Citric acid.
I guess it will affect negatively with plants. On the other hand, Coca-Cola light contains a high range of
potassium which I think good for plant growth. So, I believe that the second highest length is with Coca-
Cola light. Finally adding water is very normal. So, in our experiment, we also compare the length range
of a plant between water and Coca-Cola.

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Materials
 60 ml of distilled water
 60 ml of diet Coca-Cola
 60 ml of light Coca-Cola
 60 ml of Coca-Cola
 8 rubber bands
 Plastic Sheets
 8 plastic cups
 800 ml of soil (from same bag)
 An area opens with sunlight without disturbance
 24 garden cress seeds
 2 measuring beakers
 Gloves
 Apron
 Googles

Method:
1. Bring out all the materials needed.
2. Put on the googles, apron and gloves.
3. Carefully and takeout and measure 100ml in a measuring beaker and add it to a plastic cup.
4. Repeat step 3 for the next 7 plastic cups.
5. Add 3 seeds per plastic cup roughly 2 cm inside the soil.
6. Measure 20 ml of water in another clean measuring beaker, add it to a plastic cup and level it ‘20
ml water’.
7. Measure 40 ml of water in the same but drained measuring beaker and add it to another plastic
cup and label it as ‘40 ml water’.
8. Wash and clean the same measuring beaker thoroughly.
9. Measure 20 ml of diet Coca-Cola in measuring beaker, add it to a plastic cup and label it as ‘20
ml of Diet Coca-Cola’.
10. Measure 40 ml of diet Coca-Cola in the same but drained measuring beaker and add it to another
plastic cup and label it as ‘40 ml diet Coca-Cola’.
11. Wash and clean the same measuring beaker thoroughly.
12. Measure 20 ml of Coca-Cola in another clean measuring beaker, add it to a plastic cup and level
it ‘20 ml Coca-Cola’.
13. Measure 40 ml of Coca-Cola in the same but drained measuring beaker and add it to another
plastic cup and label it as ‘40 ml Coca-Cola’.
14. Wash and clean the same measuring beaker thoroughly.
15. Measure 20 ml of light Coca-Cola in the same but drained measuring beaker and add it to another
plastic cup and label it as ‘20 ml light Coca-Cola’.
16. Measure 40 ml of light Coca-Cola in the same but drained measuring beaker and add it to another
plastic cup and label it as ‘40 ml light Coca-Cola’.
17. Place plastic sheets over the plastic cups and seal it by using a plastic rubber band for all 8 cups
18. Place all the cups in the sunlight without any shadow or people to affect the cups.
19. Rinse and clean the apparatus and safety gear and put it away.
20. Wait a week and record the data by pulling the plants out carefully and measure the length
without the top leaf with the ruler.

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Results:
Table 1. The following observations were made as a result of the length of seedling growth after 2 weeks
from each cup. The result for seedling growth is illustrated in following table. In this table, the first
Column contains types of liquid (measurement in ml), After next 3 columns consecutively Seed 1, Seed 2,
Seed 3 and Last fourth column contains Average length (Measurement in cm)

Type of Liquid (ml) Seed 1(cm) Seed 2(cm) Seed 3(cm) Average length (cm)
Diet Coca-Cola (20) 7.5 11.2 6.2 8.30
Diet Coca-Cola (40) 8 8 0 5.33
Normal Coca-Cola (20) 6.5 8 9 7.83
Normal Coca-Cola (40) 6.1 8 8.8 7.63
Light Coca-Cola (20) 11.8 5.5 7.5 8.27
Light Coca-Cola (40) 7.7 0 0 2.57
Water (20) 0.9 8.7 6 5.2
Water (40) 7.9 7.4 8.1 7.8
The average length of all seeds(cm) = 6.62 (Approximately)

LE NGTH OF SE E DLING GROWING AF TE R 2 WE E KS

Seed 1 Seed 2 Seed 3 Average length(cm)

Water (40) 7.9 7.4 8.1 7.8

Water (20) 0.9 8.7 6 5.2

Light Coca-Cola (40) 7.7 0 2.57

Types of liquid(ml)

Light Coca-Cola (20) 11.8 5.5 7.5 8.27

Normal Coca-Cola (40) 6.1 8 8.8 7.63

Normal Coca-Cola (20) 6.5 8 9 7.83

Diet Coca-Cola (40) 8 8 0 5.33

Diet Coca-Cola (20) 7.5 11.2 6.2 8.3

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Length (cm)

Figure 1. The diagram shows that the growth rate of a plant using the different type of Coca-Cola flavor
and water. The x-axis describes the length (cm) of seedling growing after 2 weeks and y-axis describes
types of Coca-Cola(ml). Blue color represents seed 1, Orange represents seed 2, Grey represents seed 3,
Yellow represents Average length (cm).

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Calculations (for average):

1. Diet Coca cola 20 ml: (7.5cm + 11.2cm + 6.2cm) / 3 ≅ 8.30 cm

2. Diet Coca cola 40 ml: (8cm + 8cm + 0cm) / 3 ≅ 5.33 cm
3. Light Coca cola 20 ml: (11.8cm + 7.5cm + 5.5cm) / 3 ≅ 8.27 cm
4. light Coca cola 40 ml: (7.7cm + 0cm + 0cm) / 3 ≅ 2.57 cm
5. Water 20 ml: (0.9cm + 8.7cm + 6cm) / 3 ≅ 5.20 cm
6. Water 40 ml: (7.9cm + 7.4cm + 8.1cm) / 3 ≅ 7.80 cm
7. Normal Coca cola 20 ml: (6.5cm + 8cm + 9cm) / 3 ≅ 7.83 cm
8. Normal Coca cola 40 ml: (6.1cm + 8cm + 8.8cm) / 3 ≅ 7.63 cm
9. Length of all seeds: (7.5cm + 11.2cm + 6.2cm + 8cm + 8cm + 0cm + 11.8cm + 7.5cm +
5.5cm + 7.7cm + 0cm + 0cm + 0.9cm + 8.7cm + 6cm + 7.9cm + 7.4cm + 8.1cm + 6.5cm
+ 8cm + 9cm + 6.1cm + 8cm + 8.8cm) / 24 ≅ 6.62 cm

The lab shows us that after 2 weeks not all seeds grew but there was one seed that grew from
each different liquid variable including the control of the lab (water 20 ml and 40 ml). We can
see it from table 1 and figure 1 and it also shows that range of 0 cm to 11.8 cm which is the same
for with or without the control. By far the control (40 ml) has done the best to stay at the same
kind of height but it isn’t the highest standing plant. That award goes to light coca cola 20 ml
with an 11.8 cm long seedling but their average isn’t the highest, that goes to diet coca cola 20
ml with an 8.30 cm average. The shortest average and worst growing test was the light coca cola
with two seeds that didn’t grow and an average of 2.57 cm. The most similarity between a
different amount of liquid but the same liquid added was the normal coca cola because of the
lowest average length difference of only 0.2 (table 1). Also from Table 1, We can see that the
only non-growing seeds were in the diet and light coca cola 40 ml (might be an error of placing
liquid). From last row of table 1, we can see that the average length of all seeds is 6.62 cm.

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Discussion
In this study, we examined the effect on a plant using Coca-Cola. Our aim was to investigate the reaction
of a seed or a plant growth using soft drink. We measured the length of a plant after 2 weeks using water
and Coca-Cola. We can see from Table 1 that not all seeds but which one was with water that one is the
maximum length. From my hypothesis, I thought that adding Coca-Cola will affect but some of them
didn’t effect on a plant growth. In table 1, we can see that, Diet Coca-Cola (20 ml) it was normal but
when we just increased the amount of Coca-Cola in 40 ml in seed 3 that reacted so badly. So, my
hypothesis was right. As I mentioned before in Diet Coca-Cola there was Citric Acid. Then Normal Coca-
Cola (20ml) and Coca-Cola (40ml) it’s reaction was normal. After that, we tried with Light Coca-Cola 20
ml and 40 ml. In this case, Light Coca-Cola (20 ml) was normal but with Light Coca-Cola (40 ml) reacted
with seed 2 and seed 3. For adding Light Coca-Cola (40 ml) seeds could not grow because I also
mentioned it before that in light Coca-Cola there is a high range of potassium. But after increasing the
amount it effects with the growth of the plant. So, in this case, my hypothesis was wrong. From figure 1,
we can notice the Average length and different length of seed with adding a different flavor of Coca-Cola.

Conclusion

The result supported the hypothesis that adding water was normal. But adding Coca-Cola will affect. So
most of the results fit in the theory. But in the end Coca-Cola is very bad for plants and causes for them to
dry up faster, die quicker, grow smaller and not to grow as many leaves. My experiment showed that
Coca-Cola is not good for normal plant growth. Because the timeline might change just increasing the
amount of soft drink. So, I believe that does not use Coca-Cola. Because anyhow it’s not good for plant
growth.

Improvement of lab
For improvement of the lab, we need to measure our ingredients more correctly. We can use electric
weight machine instead of a general measurement machine. We also should’ve watched how we were
putting in the carbonated liquids because it sizzles and foams which would make some areas have more of
the liquids than others so next time we should shake the drinks or put it in slowly and equally dispersed.
The distance between the seeds and them being together in one cup could affect the test so we should put
each seed in different cups and in the middle. We should’ve dried the beakers each time converging the
liquids so that there wouldn’t be any reminisce left. We should’ve also waited for the test to be in the
summer because that would be a good temperature for the plants. Because I think our lab room
temperature was not perfect. One room temperature should be between 23⁰C-25⁰C.

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Bibliography
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula (January 17, 2019)

This page is useful to get information for ingredient of Coca-Cola.

2. https://www.coca-colacompany.com/contact-us/faqs (11 January,2019)

3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297600.php (11 January,2019)

This source will help us to know about how Coca-Cola will affect ones in health.

4. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-mcc-biology2/chapter/plant-growth/ (January 17, 2019)

From this source we will get information about a general plant growth.