What's in a packet of flower food?

I'm doing a science fair experiment on what keeps carnations alive the longest- plain water, penny, aspirin, vitamin c, or flower food. I cant seem to find what's in flower food and what it does to help it grow!!! Please HELP!!!!

What's in a packet of flower food?
I assume you are cutting the carnation's off the roots, because the roots, when anchored in soil, will keep them alive anyway.



But "Flower food" contains 3 main ingredients...

1: Sugars to sustain life

2: pH Balances, to make sure its' metabolism can still work.

3: Abscisic acid removers. This prevents the stem from closing up to the outside environment... allowing the stem to take the flower food in.



Hope this helped!
Reply:It's basically a combination of sugar, acidifiers (to maintain the pH balance in the water), and a stem unplugger (which allows nutrients and water to be absorbed through the stem).



The flower food is going to work best. While the penny and the aspirin (I don't know about the Vitamin C) will work better than nothing, the flower food has the nutrients that cut flowers need to sustain life longer.
Reply:I very much agree with the answers on here i hope they help you.