Jessica

PLANT MAZE (GROWING OF BEAN )

Our experiment is based on the term Auxin which is one type of hormone that help plants to grow. The experiment is about how plants grow according to the location of the light source. Auxin helps bending the plant which is part of the process of phototropism. __Goal:__ The goal of our experiment is to show how the plant will grow according to where the sunlight

__Materials:__ Cardboard box cardboard ( dividers) small flower pot 4 bean seeds Masking tape scissors

__Procedure:__ 1. Get the cardboard box and cut open the top. Take the cardboard dividers and make a maze in the box. 2. cut a hole on the end of the box where the plant will follow. 3. Plant 4 beans in the flower pot of soil. Water the flower pot. 4. Gently place the flower pot in beginning of the maze (opposite of the hole). Cover the top of the maze so that the only light in the box comes from the hole.
 * SAFETY PRECAUTION: be careful while using the scissors**

__Expectation__ My expectation of our experiment would be that the plant will bend towards the light source which is the hole. I think with the process of photosynthesis it needs sunlight, and it would try to find a way to get it. In order to survive, the plant will be searching the source of light. - Grow towards light. - Bend from the first place un till it reaches the hole (bends a lot of times). - The plant grows side ways.

__Qualitative observations__ Day 2- nothing happen.
 * Results**

Day 4- The seed began to sprout. (3cm) Weird mushrooms grew around the plant.

Day 7- The plant already grew stems and leaves. (12 cm) Day 9- The some stem began to bend, and grew more leaves. (20)

Day 11- The plant stated to bend over the board and trying to get to the hole. ( 28 cm)

Day 13- The plant is over the board and is bending toward the light (hole). There is one that is growing with the other direction but still towards the light.

Quantitative Data Number of days the length of the growing plant (cm) Day 2 0 Day 4 3 Day 7 12 Day 9 20 Day 11 28 Day 13 35

Data analyzing The data above shows how the plant is growing in a steady pace and that our experiment is successful. The plant continues to grow until it reaches the hole. The data is showing that when the day increases, the length of the plant will also increase. __Discussion__ I believe that our experiment is very successful. The result is extremely similar from what we have expected in the first place. From the start of day 2 we were worried that the plant will not grow as well as what we have expected, however the experiment turns out really well. The plant was able to grow over the boards and bend toward the only source of light. Even though the plant did not grow through the hole, I think that if we were given time to go on with our experiment, it will definitely grow through the hole. The surprising thing in our experiment was that on Day 4, we observed that there were mushrooms growing around our plant. We were worried about having it will slow down the growth of our plant, but it turns out to be dead within two days. The questions that I came up during the experiment was that “why did the plant grow straight up in the beginning and bends down after?” Also, “why is the plant behaving this way?” Before doing the experiment, I did not know about the term phototropism. I knew that the plant needs sunlight for photosynthesis in order for it to grow and live. However it was surprising that even though there were boards that blocks the way of the light source, it was able to find its way to get to the light. The following experiment would be using auxin to find out how it affects the growth of the plant (which is also in the text book). Also, another experiment can be focusing on the bending of the plant, and find out how to make a plant bend toward the other direction.

Appendix I: Photo-"light" ; tropism " turn". It means thr growth or movement of a sessile organism toward or away from a source of light.
 * phototropism**

photo-"light"; synthesis-"putting together". It is the the synthesis of complex organic materials, esp. carbohydrates, from carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic salts, using sunlight as the source of energy and with the aid of chlorophyll and associated pigments. Gravi-"attraction to earth" tropo-"turn". It means the growth of a living organism in response to gravity, as the downward growth of plant roots.
 * photosynthesis**
 * Gravitropism**

helio-"root" tropo-"turn". It means the growth of a living organism in response to gravity, as the downward growth of plant roots.
 * Heliotropism**

Greek //thigma// "touch” Tropism – “ turn”. The turning or bending response of an organism upon direct contact with a solid surface or object. Also called //stereotropism//.
 * Thigmotropism**

photo-"light" systems-"system. Photsystems are arrangements of chlorophyll and other pigments pakced into thylakoids
 * photosystems**

Chloro-"color" ; phyllon-"leaf". It is green pigment that gives most plants their color and enables them to carry on the process of photosynthesis. photo-"light" ; tropo-"turn". It means the bending towards light. It is the process of photoropism. cloro-"color". the plastid containing chlorophyll and other pigments; in plants that carry out photosynthesis Greek //strōma// "bed, cushion". The supporting framework of an animal organ typically consisting of connective tissue. French //-////étioler////.// To cause (a plant) to develop without chlorophyll by preventing exposure to sunlight. Greek //skotos// –darkness; Tropism –“turn”. the orientation of growth tips on some vines toward the darkest place on the horizon Greek -//auxein// to increase.Any of numerous plant hormones that promote growth of plant tissues by an increase in the size of existing cells, rather than an increase in cell number, and are used commercially as rooting powders and weedkillers.
 * chlorophyll**
 * Phototropic**
 * chloroplast**
 * stroma**
 * Etiolation**
 * Skototropism**
 * Auxin**

Photo- "ligh"; taxis- greek word "arrangement". The movement of a cell (eg a gamete) or a motile organism towards or away from a light source. Greek //hormōn//, present participle of //horman// "set in motion. A substance synthesized by a plant that regulates their growth and development Greek //-genes// born. The basic unit of inheritance, consisting of a sequence of DNA that occupies a specific position on a chromosome. Tropo means turn. It is the involuntary response of an organism or one of its parts toward or away from a stimulus such as heat or light. Latin //plantare// "plant in the ground”; //planta// "sole of the foot". A living organism that is capable of manufacturing carbohydrates by the process of photosynthesis and that typically possesses cell walls containing cellulose.
 * Phototaxi**
 * hormones**
 * Genes**
 * Tropism**
 * Plant**

Appendix II:

(phototropism) phototropism occur beacause the plant bends according to where the source of light is. WIth the process of photosynthesis, the plany grows and uses light so that it grows towards the light.

(photosynthesis) Photosynthesis is the part of the process of growing plants. It absorbs the source of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen. The formula of the process is: 6CO2+6H20 -> C6H12O6+6O2.

(Auxin) These two diagrams show how auxin works in plants. Auxin is the type of hormone that helps the bending of plants which connects with the process of phototropism. It also stimulates cell elongation.

References: - http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/ -http://www.allwords.com/query.php?SearchType=3&Keyword=hormones&Language=ENG&NLD=1&FRA=1&DEU=1&ITA=1&ESP=1 - http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&hl=en&q=phototropism -**[|www.uoregon.edu/~melliot2/plants/sunlight.htm]**
 * -** **[|virtualatdp.berkeley.edu:8081/2679/notices/3]**
 * -** Miller KR, Levine JS. //Biology.// Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall; 2006: 633- 641