What is a plant?
What is a plant?
Embedded Files
A plant is an organism:
A plant is an organism:
-Producer (few exceptions)
-Producer (few exceptions)
-Cannot move on its own, sessile
-Cannot move on its own, sessile
-No brain or nervous system
-No brain or nervous system
-Has cellulose plant cells
-Has cellulose plant cells
Plants come in all shapes and sizes!
Plants come in all shapes and sizes!
A few examples are:
Grasses
Grasses
Mosses
Mosses
Trees
Trees
Bushes
Bushes
Photosynthesis is how plants make their own food (glucose)
Photosynthesis is how plants make their own food (glucose)
Unlike animals, most plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They take in sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (the air we breathe out) to create glucose (sugar), their main food source and oxygen.
Why do plants do photosynthesis?
Why do plants do photosynthesis?
To make glucose, which allows the plant to thrive in its habitat, and gives it energy for vital life functions like...
To make glucose, which allows the plant to thrive in its habitat, and gives it energy for vital life functions like...
Growth
Growth
It takes a tremendous amount of energy for a plant grow throughout its lifecycle starting from the seed.
Develop New Structures
Develop New Structures
Photosynthesis provides energy plants need to make new leaves, roots, pods, flowers, shoots, and branches.
Reproduce
Reproduce
Reproduction is the process that plants and animals do to make their young, or offspring. This is the complete lifecycle of a blackberry.
What do plants need to live?
What do plants need to live?
Sunlight
Sunlight
Plants have adapted to shift to face the sun throughout the day.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers
Sunflowers grow tall to maximize the amount of sun they can soak up.
Water
Water
Plants use water to transport nutrients and sugar internally. The pH of the water can tell how the plant will grow and develop.
Cacti
Cacti
Since Prickly Pear cacti live in dry areas, they can save water in their fleshy leaves.
Nutrients from Soil
Nutrients from Soil
Roots take up nutrients from the soil Common nutrients plants require are calcium, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus-just like us!
Marram Grass
Marram Grass
Marram grass is a tough plant with long roots that can survive in sandy soils without many nutrients.
Space
Space
Plants need space to reduce competition for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Farmers plant in rows so many plants can grow in a large area without creating competition.
Black Walnuts
Black Walnuts
Black Walnut trees release a chemical called juglone into the soil that stops other plants from growing too close to them.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide
Plants "breathe in" carbon dioxide gases and "breathe out" oxygen. Half of the world's oxygen comes from plants growing underwater.
Oak Trees
Oak Trees
Oak trees capture a lot of carbon dioxide gas from the environment, which has potential to slow down climate change.
Special Exceptions- Carnivorous Plants
Special Exceptions- Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants are predators that have adapted to get their nutrients from "eating" living things like bugs, snails, slugs, and worms. They do NOT do photosynthesis!
What Happens When You Remove a Piece?
What Happens When You Remove a Piece?
How will a plant be affected if one the 5 vital ingredients for life are taken away?
How will a plant be affected if one the 5 vital ingredients for life are taken away?
No Sun?
No Sun?
The sun is the most important part of photosynthesis. Without light, none of the other processes can even start.
Chloroplast, a vital organelle for photosynthesis, cannot function without sunlight. Chlorophyll molecules absorb sun energy and make the plant green.
Healthy plants will naturally follow the sun or other bright light sources through the day to maximize exposure time.
No Water?
No Water?
Without water, a plant can’t transport necessary nutrients from its roots to its leaves, flowers, branches, and stems.
Water is absorbed in the roots and carried to other parts of the plant.
The Rose of Jericho is a desert plant that will goes dormant and dries out when there is no water while it waits for rain.
No Nutrients in Soil?
No Nutrients in Soil?
Soil is needed for the roots of the plant to soak in nutrients. Without nutrients plants cannot function and grow regularly.
See the odd leaf growth without nutrients in the image above.
Farmers can save space and grow plants in water with no soil (hydroponics) by giving nutrients to the roots through the water they are grown in.
No Space?
No Space?
Plants crammed in a tiny space will fight for light, nutrients, and water. One plant may hog all the resources, or they can all die from each not having enough.
Plants can send signals through root systems to warn of overcrowding risks. Some plants can even poison surrounding soil to prevent others from growing.
Indigenous Americans discovered that corn, beans, and squash can be grown close to each other because they share resources. These 3 plants grouped together are known as "Three Sisters."
No Carbon Dioxide?
No Carbon Dioxide?
Plants take in carbon dioxide gas and release oxygen into the air. Being starved of carbon dioxide means the plant can't do photosynthesis and will eventually die.
The vacuum pump sucks out all the air (carbon dioxide included) from the container, and the plant dies as a result.
This experiment shows the effect of carbon dioxide on water plants.
Things to Know!
Things to Know!
Plants use photosynthesis to grow, develop, and reproduce.
Plants use photosynthesis to grow, develop, and reproduce.
Photosynthesis require sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (air) to produce sugar (glucose) for the plant.
Photosynthesis require sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (air) to produce sugar (glucose) for the plant.
The appropriate nutrients in the soil and space are also important for plant growth and reproduction.
The appropriate nutrients in the soil and space are also important for plant growth and reproduction.
If you remove one of the five items for plant growth a plant won’t survive for long.
If you remove one of the five items for plant growth a plant won’t survive for long.
Quiz Time!
Quiz Time!
All the information you need for this quiz (plus some critical thinking skills) is on this page!
Don't forget to head to More to See & Do for fun games, outdoor activities, & videos after the quiz :)
Don't forget to head to More to See & Do for fun games, outdoor activities, & videos after the quiz :)
Page updated
Report abuse