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.
(2 points
Based on the data from the table, it is evident that the plants in Group B, which were grown in containers with greater root space (10 cm deep), grew taller compared to the plants in Group A, which were grown in containers with less root space (3 cm deep). The average height of the plants in Group B consistently exceeded the average height of the plants in Group A at each week of observation.
This suggests that root space has a significant effect on plant growth. The plants with more root space were able to grow taller and faster compared to the plants with limited root space. This is likely because the plants in Group B had more soil volume available for root development, allowing for larger and healthier root systems to support increased growth.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, the student can conduct further experiments. For example, the student can switch the plants between the two groups and observe if the previous patterns of growth remain consistent. If the plants continue to show improved growth in containers with greater root space regardless of their initial grouping, then it is likely that the effect is primarily due to environmental factors such as root space availability. However, if the plants show similar growth patterns as their initial grouping, then genetic factors may be more significant in determining growth rates.
shorter
The effect of root space on plant growth, based on the student's investigation, is that plants with more root space (Group B) grew taller and faster compared to plants with less root space (Group A). This is supported by the data in the table, where the plants in Group B consistently had taller average heights than those in Group A at each week of observation. This indicates that root space has a significant impact on plant growth.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, the student can conduct further experiments. By switching the plants between the two groups and observing their growth, the student can determine if the previous patterns of growth remain consistent. If plants continue to show improved growth in containers with greater root space regardless of their initial grouping, then the effect is likely due to environmental factors such as root space availability. However, if the plants show similar growth patterns as their initial grouping, genetic factors may play a larger role in determining growth rates.