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How Plants Grow Research Paper

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In order for plants to grow they require many things. They need water, nutrients, soil, air, light, temperature, space and time. Since water is vital to a plants growth, most plants use water to transport moisture and nutrients back and forth between the roots and leaves. The water contains nutrients and is taken through the roots up to the plant. Along with carbon and oxygen, that are absorbed from the air, and water which is found in soil, plants must obtain other essential elements to grow, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, boron, chlorine, manganese, iron, zinc, copper molybdenum, nickel and hydrogen. The three primary nutrients plants need to grow are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen …show more content…

The type of water a plant receives will determine, in part, on how it will grow. For example, unfiltered tap water contains iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium which are needed for healthy plant growth. Modern methods of filtering water remove these vital nutrients which help plants to grow. Plant roots absorb minerals such as nitrogen and iron only when they are dissolved in water. If nutrients are not dissolved first, then a plant cannot absorb them since plants drink their food. Another important factor related to water is the pH level, which stands for percent hydronium ion. The pH of water determines the solubility and biological capacity of chemicals constituents, such as nutrients and heavy metals. pH measures how much acid is in the water. The range goes from 0-14 with 7 being neutral. A pH of less than 7 indicates acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 makes it a base or alkaline. Basically, if you have more free hydrogen ions, the water is acidic, but if you have more free hydroxyl ions, the water is basic. Each pH number stands for a 10-fold transformation in the acidity or basicness of the water. For instance, water with a pH of three, is 10 times more acidic than water having a pH of four. Water that has an excessively high or low pH levels can be detrimental. Pure water has a pH of seven. If the pH level is less than 7, the water is acidic. If the pH is greater than 7, the water is alkaline. The ideal pH range for the water we use with most plants is between 5.5 and 6.5. This range allows for the maximum absorption of the 16 atomic elements needed for plant growth. Things such as pollution can change water’s pH and negatively impact plants. In fact, normal rainfall is slightly acidic due to environmental factors and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. On average, rain can have a pH of 5.6. pH can be measured by using litmus paper,

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