3. 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

Question

3.	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
Given 
week: 1,2,3,4
Plant group A Height in CM: 2,3,5,7
Plant group B height in cm: 3,6,8,10

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

GPT-4o mini · Answer

Based on the student's investigation, the effect of root space on plant growth can be observed through the height measurements of the plants in both groups over the four weeks.

Observations:

In Week 1, Group A (3 cm deep containers) had a height of 2 cm, while Group B (10 cm deep containers) was 3 cm tall.
By Week 2, Group A grew to 3 cm and Group B to 6 cm.
Week 3 showed Group A at 5 cm and Group B at 8 cm.
By Week 4, Group A reached a height of 7 cm, while Group B was 10 cm tall.

Analysis of Results: From the data, it is evident that the plants in Group B consistently grew taller than those in Group A:

Group A's heights at the end of the observation period: 2 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, 7 cm (total increase of 5 cm).
Group B's heights at the end of the observation period: 3 cm, 6 cm, 8 cm, 10 cm (total increase of 7 cm).

Conclusion: The results suggest that deeper root space allows for more significant growth over time. Group B experienced greater height increases compared to Group A, which had limited growth potential due to shallower root space.

Distinguishing Between Environmental and Genetic Factors: To determine whether the differences in growth were due to environmental factors (such as soil quality, water, light) or genetic factors (inherent plant variety differences), the following considerations could apply:

Controlled Variables: The student ensured that both groups received the same amount of water, sunlight, and soil type. This reduces the likelihood that environmental factors were responsible for the differences in growth.
Genetic Uniformity: Since both groups were of the same plant variety, genetic factors are controlled to an extent. If both groups were received from the same parent plants (genetically identical), then genetic factors are less likely to account for the observed growth differences.
Replication and Variation: Conducting the experiment with different varieties or more groups with various root depths could help determine if the observed effects are consistent across different conditions or genetic variations.

In summary, the investigation highlights that root space significantly affects plant growth, as evidenced by Group B's taller plants. Since environmental conditions were controlled and the same plant variety was used, it is reasonable to attribute the growth differences primarily to the root space available rather than environmental or genetic variations. Further replication with more variables could provide more comprehensive insights.