A student investigated the effect of root space on plant growth. The student grew two groups of plants of the same variety. Both groups received the same amount of water and sunlight and grew in the same type of soil. The plants in Group A were grown in cube-shaped containers that were 3 centimeters deep. The plants in Group B were grown in cube-shaped containers that were 10 centimeters deep. The table shows the student's observations
Week Plant Group A (Average Height, cm) Plant Group B (Average Height, cm)
1 2 3
2 3 6
3 5 8
4 7 10
5 8 14
6 10 18
What was the effect of root space on plant growth based on the student's investigation? Use the data from the table to support your answer. Explain how you would know whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors. (In kids words)
Based on the student's investigation, it can be seen that the plants in Group B, which had more root space in the deeper containers, grew taller on average compared to the plants in Group A. This shows that having more root space can have a positive effect on plant growth.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, we can consider the fact that both groups of plants received the same amount of water and sunlight and grew in the same type of soil. This means that the only difference between the two groups was the amount of root space they had. Since all other factors were controlled, it is more likely that the difference in plant growth was due to the root space rather than genetic factors.
In simple terms, the plants in Group B had more room for their roots to grow, which allowed them to grow taller. This shows that having more space for roots can help plants grow better.