Question
Genetics Unit Test
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Question
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.
15 of 1515 of 15 Items
Question
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.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Based on the student's investigation, the effect of root space on plant growth can be observed through the data collected over six weeks. The average height of plants in Group A (which had 3 centimeters of root space) increased gradually, starting from an average of 2 cm in Week 1 and reaching 10 cm by Week 6. In contrast, plants in Group B (with 10 centimeters of root space) exhibited a more pronounced growth rate, starting at 3 cm in Week 1 and rising to 18 cm by Week 6.
The data clearly indicate that the plants in Group B consistently grew taller than those in Group A throughout the entire observation period. For instance, by Week 6, Group B managed to achieve an average height of 18 cm, while Group A only reached 10 cm. This suggests that having more root space allowed the plants to access a greater volume of nutrients and water, facilitating enhanced growth.
To further understand whether the observed effect of root space on plant growth was due to environmental factors or genetic factors, we can consider the following points:
1. **Controlled Variables**: The investigation controlled several environmental factors by ensuring that both groups received the same amount of water, sunlight, and were grown in the same type of soil. This means that if the plants were of the same genetic variety and all other conditions were constant, we can deduce that the growth differences are primarily influenced by the root space available.
2. **Genetic Comparison**: Since both groups of plants belong to the same variety, it can be assumed that their genetic potential for growth is similar. To ascertain whether genetic factors play a role, one could conduct a similar experiment using different genetic varieties (such as fast-growing vs. slow-growing plants) in the same root space conditions. If plants of the same genetic variety consistently show differences in growth due to variations in root space, it points toward environmental factors (root space) being the primary influence on growth.
In summary, the experiment demonstrates that increased root space positively impacted plant growth, and since environmental factors were controlled, this effect can largely be attributed to the availability of space for roots to access nutrient and water resources rather than genetic differences.
The data clearly indicate that the plants in Group B consistently grew taller than those in Group A throughout the entire observation period. For instance, by Week 6, Group B managed to achieve an average height of 18 cm, while Group A only reached 10 cm. This suggests that having more root space allowed the plants to access a greater volume of nutrients and water, facilitating enhanced growth.
To further understand whether the observed effect of root space on plant growth was due to environmental factors or genetic factors, we can consider the following points:
1. **Controlled Variables**: The investigation controlled several environmental factors by ensuring that both groups received the same amount of water, sunlight, and were grown in the same type of soil. This means that if the plants were of the same genetic variety and all other conditions were constant, we can deduce that the growth differences are primarily influenced by the root space available.
2. **Genetic Comparison**: Since both groups of plants belong to the same variety, it can be assumed that their genetic potential for growth is similar. To ascertain whether genetic factors play a role, one could conduct a similar experiment using different genetic varieties (such as fast-growing vs. slow-growing plants) in the same root space conditions. If plants of the same genetic variety consistently show differences in growth due to variations in root space, it points toward environmental factors (root space) being the primary influence on growth.
In summary, the experiment demonstrates that increased root space positively impacted plant growth, and since environmental factors were controlled, this effect can largely be attributed to the availability of space for roots to access nutrient and water resources rather than genetic differences.