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Introduction
Introduction
Researchers at UCLA have been studying the leaf to discover how the leaf is able to be created in different shape, sizes, and thicknesses. They found that this ability for a leaf to be grown in various sizes is all dependent on their mathematical design. The allometric analysis was also a tool used to show how parts of an organism are subject to change. Scientist like, Galileo, have been using this method for years, but it has never before been used to look inside the interior of these leaves.
The research
The research
The structure of a leaf is made up of 3 simple tissue matter. The outer layer is also know as the epidermis, this is the layer of cells that cover the organism. The structure that contains all the cells that work together in creating photosynthesis is the Messophyll. the next layer is the Vascular tissue which is involved in the transportation of the water and sugar. The scientist who have been studying these leaves found that the thicker the leaf was the larger the cells were in all of its tissue. Plant cells have walls that are made up of carbohydrates which allows for the cell walls and the leaf to be of the same thickness
Math in Leaf Design
Math in Leaf Design
By using simple mathematical equations these scientists can easily be able to make predictions to find the dimensions of cells depending on the thickness of the leaf. The term that is used to explain this relationship is isometric, meaning that if one cell in the leaf is larger in just one of its tissues it will also have another larger cell in one of its other tissues. This allows plants to produce leaves with larger surface areas without any need for larger cells. The process on which a leaf will grow on a branch creates only a few cells to be divided into many creating a fully matured plant. The design of these plants provide the world with an inside look to larger structures that are able to be constructed without any lose of stability or their function.m Leaves have been giving scientist the access to blue prints that will soon lead to the success of bigger things.
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This page by Cambria E. ('19)
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