04. Leaves

How are leaves adapted to help plants?

Activity: Leaves and microscopes

• Being very careful, cut as thin a slice of the plant leaf as you can. place it flat on a microscope slide and add 2-3 drops of stain. Leave the stain to soak in for a few minutes before adding a coverslip then view under the microscope.

• When you have focussed-in, make a detailed sketch of what you can see, and label as best you can using the diagram below as a guide.

• Paint a 1 cm² using clear nail varnish on the bottom of the leaf, allow the nail varnish to dry then carefully peel off, mount flat on a microscope slide and view under the microscope.

• When you have focussed-in, make a detailed sketch of what you can see.

• Fill a small beaker with boiling water. Using tweezers, lower a second leaf into the boiling water. Where do bubbles appear, and why?

• Use what you have already learnt to explain what is happening underneath the diagrams you have already made.

Can You:

> identify the different parts of a leaf,

> explain why parts of the leaf are where they are,

> explain how gasses get into and out of leaves.