Question

A student observes that a popcorn kernel has a hard coat. He places the kernel in a moist paper towel and observes it for several days. He notices that the coat splits and a small root emerges. He concludes that

A.
water inside the seed coat exerted a pushing force, breaking the seed coat.

B.
air inside the seed coat exerted a pushing force, breaking the seed coat.

C.
gravity exerted a pulling force on the stem, breaking the seed coat.

D.
water outside the seed coat exerted a pulling force, breaking the seed coat.

Answers

GPT-4o mini
The student's observation that the kernel's coat splits and a small root emerges after being placed in a moist environment leads to the conclusion that the water inside the kernel plays a significant role in breaking the seed coat.

Therefore, the correct conclusion would be:

**A. water inside the seed coat exerted a pushing force, breaking the seed coat.**

This is because as the kernel absorbs water, it swells, and the pressure from the expanding contents can cause the hard seed coat to split.