Practical 1 : Basic needs of plants. Objective Theory : To determine the basic needs of plants : sunlight, air and water.

Plants are organisms that grow and reproduce their own kind. The need for air, water and light to grow. Plants need sunlight in order to grow properly. They use light energy to change the materials - carbon dioxide and water into food substances (sugars). This process of food productions is called photosynthesis. Only in light can a green plant make food. Plants most also have clean air. Green plants take in carbon dioxide from air and use it during photosynthesis to make food. Dirty, smoggy air blocks sunlight that plants must have. Plants need water. Water is essential to all life on earth. No known organism can exist without water. Plants use water to carry moisture and nutrients from the roots to he leaves and food from the leaves back down to the roots.

Problem

: Do plants need sunshine ?

Apparatus and Materials : Growing plant with large leaves Vaseline Black construction paper Paper clips Procedure A : 1. The green plant is placed in well-lighted condition where it can be seen. It should not being handled by any class members. 2. The both sides of several leaves is covered with Vaseline. 3. After observing each days, these leaves is compared with uncoated leaves. The observing involved the colour and the freshness of leaves. Procedure B : 1. A folded piece of black construction paper is cut out in pattern on one side. 2. The leaf is clipped by the pattern and leave it attached for several days. 3. The construction paper is removed after several days and the observe the results.

Results

: Observation Inferences

Procedure A

Regions of the leaf the The yellowish region of the were covered by Vaseline leaf result from lack of lost their green colour sunlight which is needed for

become yellowish, shrivel chloroplast that contain a up and wilted. green pigment to called do

chlorophyll photosynthesis. Procedure B

Regions of the leaf that The yellowish region of leaf were undered black strip result from the lack of turn yellowish while other sunlight which is needed for part remain green. photosynthesis.

Questions

1. What would happened if only the topside were coated? The bottom side? The topside will turn into yellow whereas the bottom side is still the same

2. Would leaf continue to die if the coating were removed after one day? No.

3. What would happen if only half the leaf were covered? (half of the topside and half of the bottom side)? Only the parts that were coated will turn into yellow-half of topside and half of bottom side.

4. What happen to the plant leaf after the mask is removed? Observe for several days. It should turn yellow after a week; reason behind this is that chlorophyll will no longer have access to sunlight.

Problem

: Can plants live without water?

Apparatus and Materials : Bean seeds Two small flowerpots Water Soil / Humus Procedure :

1. In each flowerpots, some of the bean seeds is planted. The flowerpots is mark as A and B respectively. 2. The both plants is placed under the sunshine. 3. The A plant is watered lightly each day. 4. The B plant is not watered and leave it each day. Results : Observation Plant A Inferences

The bean seeds germinate The bean seeds have water and grow. supply.

Plant B

The bean seeds do not The bean seeds do not germinate at all. have water supply.

Questions

1. Would the same results be possible with different kinds of seeds? Yes.

2. It is possible to give a plant too much water? It would die

3. How can farmer tell if a plant is receiving enough water? Not enough water? Too much water? By looking at the plants turgidity. If the plant does not get enough water it will wilt and if the plant get enough water it will turgid.

Problem

: Can plant live without air?

Apparatus and Materials : Bean seeds Two jars and two plastic cups Soil / Humus Cotton Water Procedures A : 1. The bean seeds is plant in jars. 2. Both soils in jars is watered fairly well. The air has been expelled from the soil when air bubbles cease to rise. 3. The first jar is cap so that the air is cuts off from the plant. 4. The second plant is keep moist by watering as needed and the jars is not close. Procedure B : 1. Water is fill in the both cups. 2. The first cup, put a cotton pad on top and place some beans on the cotton. By that, the seeds will keep moist. 3. The bean seeds is drop into the water for the second cup thus the air is not supply to the seeds. 4. The temperature and light is constant and same for the both cups.

Results

: Observation Inferences
1. It take long time to

Procedure A

1. Seed in the cup that

covered

with

cap

germinate

because

germinated after 4 day

2. Seed in the cup that

the seed has limited oxygen

2. It take a few times to

exposed

to

germinate because it has sufficient oxygen to germinate

surrounding take 1 day to germinate.

Procedure B

The

seed

in

both

cup Only the seed on the cotton

germinated but only the pad grow because only that seed in the cup A(on the seed get enough air cotton pad) grow.

Questions

1. What other ways might air be eliminated from the cup? Using anhydrous calcium chloride. 2. Is too much air ever a problem to the farmer? No. 3. Would the same results occur with different types of seeds? No. 4. Plants make their food but they do need a supply of minerals. Choose three minerals and describe what happens to plant growing without them. Iron- helps them to produce chlorophyll Potassium create strong cellular structure for fruits and leaf production. Sulfur- helps plant to produce seed and grow an extensive root system.

5. Animals and plants need food. Give two reasons why animals and plant need food. Both animal and plant need food for generate energy and to ensure biochemical reaction occur in their system.

Discussion : According to this experiment, I have to determine the basic needs of plants which is sunlight, air and water. Plants need water to make their own food through photosynthesis. Plants also use suns energy to grow and manufacture food. Plants need carbon dioxide that they use in photosynthesis to make carbon compounds.

Plants need to respire (breathe) because the gases taken in from breathing are needed for other processes such as waste disposal. Plants typically respire by taking in gasses through their leaves through thousands of tiny openings called stomata.

Water makes up most of the cells in both plants. How much water a plant needs depends in part on its species. For example, cacti can survive for months without water. Similarly, plants need food. This food provides all the energy the plant needs. Plants depend on simple sugar, which they make themselves. They also need nutrients like nitrogen, which they get from the soil.

Plants use sunlight to make their own food through a process called photosynthesis.

Conclusion : Plants need water, air and sunlight to grow and survive.