Effect of Caffeine on Plant Growth-URGENT! Time running out!

[Valor1204]

Hello, I'm new here, but I have a big problem. I'm studying the effect of caffeine on plant growth. I am using Tomato Plants for my plant. My variables are water, tea, and a caffeine solution. I only have until this upcoming Tuesday to finish my experiment, but the only problem is that I don't think I will have had enough time to finish my experiment. My first batch of plants died, so I had to start again two weeks later, setting me back on time. I've only been able to start watering my plants with water, tea, and caffeine for about four days. I need to get everything typed up and ready by Monday night. Will that be enough time to have the correct amount of data for the experiment? Is there anything I can do instead to find out the results if I don't have enough time?


Thanks for your time and help.

[deleted-71827]

Hi!
Unfortunately, experiences do sometimes get set back in science due to unforeseen situations like what you encountered. There really is no other way to get data except to carry out the project itself, so just try your best to give the plant as much nutrients, sunlight, etc. as possible and focus on providing the optimal growing environment for the plants (i.e. not too cold/hot, the right size pot, etc.) This way, you will be able to maximize however small the amount of results you obtain and it is perfectly okay to say in your conclusion that your first batch of plants died and that this experiment on the second batch of plants is ongoing and that you will be continuing to collect data as they grow. Best of luck!

[Valor1204]

Thank you very much.

[donnahardy2]

Hi,

Staryl13 has given some good advice for completing this experiment. You need to concentrate on the write up at this point, so should you not worry too much about the lack of results at this point. Science fair projects are usually scored on a point basis, with a certain number of points assigned for each section, purpose, hypothesis, materials, procedure, results, conclusion and bibliography. You can maximize the score on your project by making sure that you have done a thorough, complete job on each section. Go back and look at the written assignment from your teacher, and make sure you have included every detail. You should summarize the results of the first experiment and explain why all the plants died. You should measure results as late as possible on Monday to see if there is any difference in results and present these. If there is no difference in results, then you can expand your discussion section and explain what you would do differently next time. Science fair judges are concerned about whether or not you understand the science behind your project and if you have designed a controlled experiment, so you should present your project as positively as possible.

Why did your plants die in the first experiment?

Donna Hardy