Why can't anything grow in salt water?

Question

I've just done a little experiment for a school project and I have found out that beans can't grow in salt water.

Can anybody explain to me why this happens?

And also why beans can't grow in tea as well?

Is there something in both these liquids that stop the growth of beans?

Answer 1

Not all salt is high in acidity. Some are neutral and some are basic. The reaction that produces table salt (probably what you're using) results in a neutral salt.

Anyways, on to the question:

Things can grown in salt - there are lots of plants in the ocean. So we should rephrase: "Why can't your beans grow in salt?". The answer is water balance. The cells in the bean plants are mostly made up of water. The levels of the water in the cells must be maintained within a certain range for the cells to function properly. When using regular water the plant is pretty good at regulating its water levels. When you use salt water the plant draws it up into its vessels. Because there's more salt in the vessels than in the cells water rushes out of the cells and into the vessels to balance things out (further research: "osmotic gradient"). Once all the water has rushed out of the cells they're no longer operating within normal ranges and they die.

Answer 2

Palm tree grows on beaches...ever noticed?

Answer 3

Plenty of things DO grow in salt water. Just beans aren't in their habitat. Plankton grow in the sea and so does coral and seaweed.

Kombucha grows in tea...

Answer 4

Salt is high in acidity therefore high acidity kills everyting.  To have high acidity mean you have a high pH of  +7.  Only certain plants can grow in a high pH.  In your body, if you have high acidity, the environment of high acidity promotes cancer cells to reproduce.

If you want to lower your pH in your human body, eat and drink produces from the earth.  Lemon juice from fresh lemons is known scientifically to balance the pH in your blood stream to a neutral pH.

Answer 5

salt takes out moister it kills plants and if u were to put salt on the grass out side u will not be able to grow anything on that ground ever again because the salt ruins the soil it steals the moister that is why it cant grow