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.
Based on the data provided in the table, it is clear that the plants in Group B, which had more root space in deeper containers, exhibited greater growth compared to the plants in Group A. Throughout the 6-week period, the average height of the plants in Group B consistently exceeded that of the plants in Group A.
This suggests that root space has a positive effect on plant growth. The plants in Group B were able to develop larger and more extensive root systems, which likely allowed them to access more nutrients and water from the soil, leading to increased growth.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, the student could conduct further experiments. One possibility could be to switch the plants from Group A and Group B to see if the growth patterns remain the same. If the plants that were initially in Group A continue to exhibit slower growth even when given more root space, this could suggest that genetic factors play a significant role in determining plant growth. On the other hand, if the growth patterns change and the plants in Group A show increased growth when provided with more root space, this could indicate that environmental factors such as root space are the primary contributing factors to plant growth in this experiment.