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)M
Based on the data from the table, it is clear that the plants in Group B, which had more root space (10 cm deep containers), showed a significantly faster and larger growth compared to the plants in Group A (3 cm deep containers). The plants in Group B reached double the height of the plants in Group A by the end of the 6-week period.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, the student could conduct further investigations. For example, the student could repeat the experiment with the same plant variety but switch the container depth for each group. If the same pattern of growth is observed (i.e. plants in deeper containers grow taller and faster than plants in shallower containers), then root space is likely the main determining factor in plant growth. On the other hand, if the results vary or are inconsistent between experiments, then genetic factors may play a larger role in plant growth.
Overall, based on the student's investigation and the data provided, it can be concluded that root space has a significant effect on plant growth. Plants with more root space are able to grow taller and faster compared to plants with limited root space. Further experiments can help determine the relative importance of environmental and genetic factors in plant growth.