You and a friend walk by a tree with grass growing around it. Your friend states that the tree is larger than grass because it is closer to the sun and it is able to take in more material. Do you agree.

Question

Yes. The grass is shorter, therefore gets less sun and materials.
Yes. The tree is taller therefore gets more sun and materials.
No. All plants obtain most materials for growth from water and carbon dioxide.
No. The tree is larger than the grass because it takes in more materials from the soil.

Answer 1

The correct answer would be: No. All plants obtain most materials for growth from water and carbon dioxide.

While it is true that the tree is larger and typically can access more sunlight due to its height, the amount of materials a plant uses for growth primarily comes from carbon dioxide absorbed from the air and water taken up through its roots from the soil. Both tree and grass obtain nutrients, but the fundamental reason for the size difference is more complex than just proximity to sunlight or the amount of materials taken in.