Cassie Duncan: Mad Scientist 4

The Effects of Popular Music on Plant Growth
By Cassie Duncan

My experiment is that I’m putting different types of music to plants and see who dies first and who lives. I chose this experiment because I like music and plants and it seemed creative to me.

Hypothesis:
My hypothesis was, that among the different types of music, Pop would be the best. I decided this because I like that music best. I would test my hypothesis by measuring the plant growth in centimeters.

Research:
I figured out something while I was doing the project. Some other people did the same experiment that had the exact opposite results. Dorthy Retallack, in 1968, used Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Acid Rock, East Indian and Country. One experiment said that it depended on the type of plant.

The Experiment Overview:
For the music types, I picked Pop (Metamorphosis by Hilary Duff), Rock (The Needle Lies by Queensryche), Country (Man at the Mill by the Dillards) and Classical (Fur Elise by Ludwig Von Beethoven). The reason I chose this Pop was that I really like Hilary Duff. I chose Rock because I really like Rock, also. I chose Country because everyone has to have some country and I chose Classical because I thought I might get some extra points from the music teacher.

Besides the music, I needed soil, pots and, of course, plants. I also needed measuring cups and fertilizer sticks, my I-Pod and my dad’s speakers.

I used an Alyssum plant. They are really pretty, but I’m supposed to talk about other stuff, like they are a type of mustard plant. They are purple, too. They are small and easy to grow. Alyssum are small plants, growing 6 to 9 inches tall. Alyssum like full to partial sun. I chose the plant because it was pretty and small and cheap.

I did it in the back room of Olson Insurance Agency. I did each plant for 30 minutes (Monday-Friday) except the no music plant. There was an all music plant in there, too. We plugged the speakers in my I-Pod on half the sound and the speakers at all volume. I measured in centimeters each day except for three days. I watered each plant the same and I put them in a windowsill for sun when they were not listening to music.

My first measurements were:

• A: (Pop) - 5 ½ centimeters tall
• B: (Classical) - 5 ½ centimeters tall
• C: (Rock) - 6 centimeters tall
• D: (Country) - 4.3 centimeters tall
• E: (Nothing) - 4 ½ centimeters tall
• F: (All) - 4 centimeters tall

My final measurements were:

• A: (Pop) - 8.0 centimeters tall - Grew 2 ½ cm
• B: (Classical)- 7.5 centimeters tall - Grew 2 cm
• C: (Rock) - 10.0 centimeters tall - Grew 4 cm
• D: (Country) - 6.7 centimeters tall - Grew 2.4 cm
• E: (Nothing)- 7 ½ centimeters tall - Grew 3 cm
• F: (All) - 8.0 centimeters tall - Grew 4 cm

Another interesting thing happened. In the middle of my experiment, little mushrooms started growing in some but not all of the pots. They all eventually died.

Conclusion:
The conclusion is that Rock and All grew bigger and Classical grew smallest. I guess I’m not that smart or my hypothesis was wrong.

Acknowledgments:
Melissa Duncan - for helping with the music and typing this report for me. Tim Duncan - for helping me plant the Alyssum, helping me play the music and taking some of the pictures. Also helping me with the internet to find research.
Barbara Olson - for letting me use her office and digital camera.

Bibliography:
The Gardeners Network website by Premier Star Company
Encyclopedia.com website by High Beam Research, Inc.
Music and the Brain by Lawrence O’Donnell
Groovy Plants, the Influence of Music
on Germinating Seedlings and Seedling Growth by Davis, R & P. Scott.
What is the Comparison of Rock vs. Classical Music
on the Growth of Florida Broadleaf Mustard Plants by Sonia Rowe