| Complexity level: | 2 |
| Time required: | Once preparations are finished, the flowers will sit for at least 24 hours, then conclusions will be made after. |
| Safety concerns: | Safety guidelines for cutting flower stems should be followed. |
Overview
Flowers get their nutrients by a process called Photosynthesis. They take in carbon dioxide (what we breathe out), sunlight, and water from the soil and turn it into oxygen and energy. The water is absorbed into the roots and travels through the vascular system in the stem to the leaves as seen in Figure 1.
Figure 1: The cross section of a flower shows where water is transferred from the root hairs, to the lateral root, to the primary root, into the vascular system and to the leaves and pedals.
By looking at Figure 1 it is evident that the vascular system is the most important component for the flower's intake of water. When flowers are bought at the store they have no roots, yet they survive without them because the vascular system is located in the entire stem.
When flowers are put into a vase full of water, after time the water level goes down. This is because the flower is "drinking" through a process called transpiration. Transpiration occurs when the water on leaves and pedals evaporates, cohesion pulls the water from the vase, up the stem, and back into the leaves and flowers. Cohesion is known as the attractive force between water molecules.
Scientific Terms
Materials
Procedure
1. Copy and use the chart below for data collection.
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BLUE |
RED |
CLEAR |
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Length of stem |
8 in |
8in |
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Amount of water to begin |
2 cups |
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Drops of color |
25 |
25 |
0 |
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Time and date flowers go in water |
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Description of flower color |
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Time and date flowers go out of water |
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Amount of water left |
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Amount of water used by the flowers |
2. Lay one white daisy horizontal on the cutting board with the flower side on the left. With a ruler measure 8 inches of the stem from the flower. Cut the stem at the 8 inches mark at an angle Not a flat cut, this will increase the amount of water the flower can take in. Record the length of stem in the chart.
3. Repeat step 1 with the remaining two white daisies.
4. Take one clear glass. Fill the measuring cup with 2 cups of water. Empty the measuring cup into the glass. Record the amount of water measured in the chart.
5. Take the blue food coloring and add 25 drops into the water. Pick the glass up and swirl softly to allow the color to fully mix with the water.
6. Repeat step 4 with a new clear glass. Take the red food coloring and add 25 drops into the water. Pick the glass up and swirl softly to allow the color to fully mix with the water.
7. Repeat step 4 with the remaining clear glass. Add no coloring.
8. Now set the three different colored glasses on the table in front of you. Place one white daisy in each glass.
9. Record the exact time and date the flowers are placed in the glasses in the chart.
10. Wait exactly 24 hours.
11. Record the time and date when you view the flowers in the chart.
12. Describe how the three daisies look in the chart.
13. Take one flower out and fill the used water into the measuring cup. Record the amount of water left over. Then subtract and record the amount of water used in 24 hours in the chart.
14. Repeat step 13 with the remaining two glasses.
