Amadin, A

Institut Ronda Departament Física i Química (CLiL)

This experiment is aimed at bringing a major consequence of pollution to the classroom to recreate
the reaction between acid rain and plants based on their level of acidity, that is their PH level. This
allows us to determine how different acids affect the same type of plant, the intensity of the reaction
with regard to how quickly the reaction can be seen, and how much damage is done to the plant.

Acid, Reactions, PH, Test

damaging to the plant than with

Acid rain describes any form of
HCL.
precipitation with high levels of nitric and
 When water is involved in the
sulfuric acid. For this experiment, we
reaction, the reaction time will be
substituted hydrochloric acid for nitric acid
slower with less damage to the plant
for its potential to form a component of acid
than when only the acid is involved.
rain. Acid rain falls to the ground from the
atmosphere in wet or dry forms and can be
measured using a PH scale. The objective of
The materials used in the experiment
this experiment is to determine the results of
include:
the reaction between acids with different PH
· Acid: 70ml hydrochloric (HCL) and 70ml
levels and plants. PH is a measure of the
Sulfuric (H2SO4) acids.
relative amount of free hydrogen and
· Water – 140ml (H2O)
hydroxyl ions in the water. PHs of less than
· Test material: Leaves from a Potus plant.
7 indicate acidity. Our hypothesis was that:
· Glass rod.
 The reaction between H2SO4 and the
· Pipette.
plant will be quicker and more
· Test strip. on coloured material. Adding the H2SO4
·Protection-(glasses, lab coat and gloves) acid to a beaker of water caused a reaction of
its own as the water began to sizzle with an
The procedure for carrying out this
air of steam above it like it was set to boil. The
experiment is divided into different phases.
reaction in this solution was less intense than
In the first phase of the experiment, selecting
in the single-acid solution. The leaf began to
four beakers, both acids in measured
wither in bits, visibly undergoing change but
quantities are put individually into two
at a much slower rate and in patches. In the
beakers using a pipette. Then, a measured
last beaker the leaf in the solution of HCL
quantity of water is put in the two remaining
and water only slightly changes colour,
beakers for the acids in measured quantities
giving the leaf different shades of green.
to be added to each of the water beakers. The
next phase of the experiment is to add the
test material, leaves from a green plant. One
leaf Is dropped into each of the four beakers,
using a glass rod to stir and ensure that the
leaf is fully submerged in the acid for the
reaction to begin.

The reaction between the leaf and the H2SO4

acid was immediate as the leaf began to
change colour only seconds after it was put in Figure 1.-Shows the PH-level of the acids used in the
experiment
the acid. The change continued until it
turned a dark, charcoal burnt colour. The
As shown in Figure 1, The PH-levels of each
reaction between the leaf and the HCL acid
acid differ from another, and the colours
was slower and less intense than the H2SO4
indicate the acidity levels from higher to
reaction. The leaf turned almost Brown with
lower levels with percentages. The Chart also
patches of white on it, like the effect of bleach
shows the PH level of water as neutral, hence
the green. In addition, the Chart shows that HCL + potus leaf
When each acid is mixed with water, their
acidity level also differs. H2SO4 and HCL in
their undiluted form have higher acid levels
than when they are mixed with water.

H2S04 + potus leaf

HCL +H2O +potus leaf

H2SO4+H2O+potus leaf These photos show the results of the

experiment

Test for PH-levels using test strips

HCL+potus leaf HCL+H2O+potus H2SO4+H2O+ H2SO4+potus leaf
leaf potus leaf
Test Table
reaction PH level test
H2SO4+potus leaf Test strip turns red,
indicating a level one PH
HCL+potus leaf Test strip turns red,
indicating a level one PH
H2SO4+H2O+leaf Test strip turns red,
indicating a level one PH
HCL+H2O+leaf Test strip turns red,
indicating a level one PH
The test table shows the test results of the PH
levels taken after the reactions had occurred.
The test shows that all the reactions
maintained a PH level of around 1. In
contrast to the graph, the colour change of
the test strip does not differ so much.
CONCLUSIONS
The experiment’s goal was to determine
which reaction would be more intense
and ultimately determine the level of
acidity of each acid by the damage done
to the plant leaves. Our goal was not to
compare the speed of the reactions
between the natural acids and the diluted
acids in a set time frame, hence the reason
why the leaves were not put in at the same
time. In the end, the desired results were
acquired, and we got to see healthy leaves
change colour and form. Our hypothesis
was made on speed(not calculated in a set
time limit, but by visual assessment) of
the reactions with respect to PH levels,
which corresponded to the results of the
experiment, but the one thing our
hypothesis did not account for was the
level of damage that acid would cause to
the leaves. The results indicate that the
intensity of the reactions depends on the
PH level of the acid and the rate of
damage depends on the length of time the
leaves were left in the acid. Although we
haven’t determined what the differences
will be in different test materials for
future experiments, the knowledge gained
from this experiment will help with the
development of a hypothesis and a more
effective method to achieve results.
REFERENCES
Du E, Dong D, Zeng X, Sun Z, Jiang X, de
Vries W. Direct effect of acid rain on leaf
Chlorophyll content of terrestrial plants in
China.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the
Environment and Water (30 June 2022)
Hydrochloric Acid.