Quickie Questions - Alive and Living - Plants
| Date Answered | Questioner (age, location) | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 9, 2010 | Skye (age 13, Texas) | How does plant roots break down rocks? | It is a process that takes time nd many factors. Plant roots exert physical pressure on the rocks. The initially, when thay are not too big, find the creavises and grow in to them, but then they start growing and, as a result, exert pressure from inside the rock. But they also provide a chanel for water and chemical infiltration! accelerating in this way the weathering of the rock. |
| January 27, 2010 | Jade (age 11, north carolina) | how miuch water does a large tree put back into the water cycle per day | A large oak tree can transpire 40 000 gallons (151 000 liters) per year, at an average of 110 gallons (414 liters) per day. |
| January 11, 2010 | Cameron (age 23, ) | What is the scientific name and full classification of an orange? | Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis): Family: Rutaceae, Genus: Citrus. |
| February 24, 2009 | Ashley (age 11, Georgia) | How living plants give off oxygen? | Plants use sunlight, air, and water to make food. This process is called photosynthesis. While they are doing this, they give off oxygen. |
| October 21, 2008 | Manuel (age 31, Arizona) | A tree grows and increases its mass. Why is this not a violation of the law of conservation? | Because there are several ways in which the tree gains energy that then is converted to mass. Most importantly, there is the Photosynthesis, the process by which autotrophs (self-feeders) convert water, carbon dioxide, and solar energy into sugars and oxygen. It is a complex chemical process by which plants and other autotrophs create the energy needed for life. The water and mineral are absorbed through the roots, and the solar energy through the leaves. |
| March 11, 2008 | Jib (age 13, Ohio/United stayes) | What do animals need nitrogen for? | All plants and animals need nitrogen to make amino acids. |
| July 6, 2007 | Jojo (age 13, WI) | How do Tsunamis affect Plants? Respond ASAP!!!!! |
Tsunamis can be a very aggressive natural phenomenon. Both fauna and flora suffer when the waves reach inland. Trees can be uprooted by the waves, salty water can also damage them, sediments could have many effects, etc. For a more extensive description, visit the United Nations webpage Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems. |
| November 30, 2006 | Marissa (age 15, Florida) | What are some examples (organisms) of Autotrophs? | Examples of autotrophs are plants and algae. More information about autotrophs is available at our page Autotrophs |
| June 27, 2002 | Amir (age 14, Singapore) | Why is a leaf green? | A leaf is green because it's a part of a plant and plants have special cells! Their cells contain green stuff called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll(located within the chloroplast part of a plant cell) is what lets a plant get its energy from the sun through photosynthesis. We humans get our energy from food, but most plants don't need to eat food like we do, their chloroplasts use the sun's energy to make a special sort of food within their cells. |
| June 26, 2000 | Ryan (age 16, California, USA ) | Do trees affect the temperature of the earth? | Probably not enough to measure. Although trees themselves fluctuate in temperature according to the weather, very little if any heat is transferred to the ground by the trees themselves. |
| June 15, 2000 | Andjie (age 9, Washington, USA ) | What is transpiration process on water cycle? | When plants give off water, we call that transpiration. Water is absorbed by a plant's roots. The water moves through the plant and can actually come out of the plant through tiny pores on the underside of the plant's leaves. Transpiration is a small part of the water cycle compared to say evaporation of water from the oceans. |
| June 1, 1999 | Sunday (age 16, Michigan, USA) | How is it that the sun can give people energy? | The sun can give people energy in a couple ways. When sunshine warms your body it is giving you some heat energy through radiation. The most important way the sun gives us energy is through the food we eat. Plants can convert the suns energy into food for itself, which we can eat. In fact, all the food we eat relies somehow on the sun. Kinda makes me hungry. |
| April 23, 1999 | Bill (age 51, Tennessee, USA) | Is it true that a seed before planting is truly dead or is there a sign of life in it? | In order for seeds to sprout, they must be alive, even though they look dead. The seeds you plant which never sprout are really dead. |
| March 14, 1999 | Alexis (age 9) | Is it possible to grow plants in space? Are there any plans to grow plants on the International Space Station? Without gravity, how will the plants know which way to grow up? | Experiments have been done which show it is possible to grow plants in space. Since there is very little gravity in space, the plants grow in any and every direction. The ISS will have a Plant Research Unit on board which will maintain small plants for different experiments. |
| March 17, 1998 | Brad (age 15, Ohio, USA) | What roles can plants play in recovering carbon dioxide, water, and other nutrients from the waste products generated in an Advance Life Support environment? | Plants play a big role in recycling carbonates, nitrates, phosphates, and other salts, even from waste products which might be generated in a Life Support environment. Plants extract certain forms of nitrogen from soils, and plants recycle certain forms of carbon in the respiration/transpiration process. |
Last modified October 14, 2003 by Jennifer Bergman.
