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.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.

Answer 1

To evaluate the effect of root space on plant growth based on the student's investigation, we can analyze the observations comparing the two groups of plants. In the scenario presented, the plants in Group A were grown in shallow containers (3 centimeters deep), while the plants in Group B were grown in deeper containers (10 centimeters deep).

Supporting Data: Assuming the table of observations indicates the growth measurements (height, number of leaves, etc.) of both groups, we would expect to see that Group B (the plants grown in deep containers) exhibited better growth metrics compared to Group A. For example, if Group B plants were on average taller, had more leaves, or showed better overall health and vigor, this would suggest that the increased root space positively influenced their growth.

Conclusion About Root Space: Based on these observations, we can conclude that the increased root space appears to promote better plant growth. This is likely due to the roots of Group B having more room to grow and access nutrients and water from the soil, which can lead to better overall plant health and development.

Distinguishing Environmental vs. Genetic Factors: To determine whether the observed effects were due to environmental factors (such as the depth of the containers) or genetic factors (inherent differences in plant variety), we need to consider the experimental design:

1. Controlled Conditions: The fact that both groups of plants received the same amount of water, sunlight, and were grown in the same type of soil helps to isolate the root space as the primary variable being tested. This control minimizes the environmental factors that could affect growth.

2. Same Genetic Variety: Both groups were of the same plant variety, which means that any differences in growth are less likely due to genetic variation. If both groups had shown similar growth despite the difference in root space, that could suggest genetic factors were more influential.

3. Replication: If the study were replicated with different varieties of plants or controlled to observe the impact of increasingly deeper containers on the same plant variety, it could provide further assurance that the effects are primarily due to root space rather than genetic differences.

In conclusion, given the setup of the experiment and the expected observations, we would attribute differences in plant growth primarily to the effect of root space, supported by consistent environmental conditions and the same genetic background.

Answer 2

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

Answer 3

Based on the student's observations from the experiment investigating the effect of root space on plant growth, we can analyze the data provided in the table as follows:

Observations:

• Group A (3 cm deep containers):

  • Week 1: 2 cm
  • Week 2: 3 cm
  • Week 3: 5 cm
  • Week 4: 7 cm
  • Week 5: 8 cm
  • Week 6: 10 cm

• Group B (10 cm deep containers):

  • Week 1: 3 cm
  • Week 2: 6 cm
  • Week 3: 8 cm
  • Week 4: 10 cm
  • Week 5: 14 cm
  • Week 6: 18 cm

Analysis of Data:

1. Growth Rate Comparison:

   • In Week 1, Group A had an average height of 2 cm, while Group B was slightly taller at 3 cm.
   • As the weeks progress, Group A shows incremental growth:
     • Week 6 average height: 10 cm.
   • Conversely, Group B experienced better growth throughout:
     • Week 6 average height: 18 cm.
   • Overall, Group B consistently outperformed Group A in terms of average height each week.

2. Growth Trends:

   • Group B not only started off taller but also had a steeper growth rate, particularly notable in Weeks 5 and 6, where the plants in Group B reached 14 cm and 18 cm, respectively.
   • In contrast, the plants in Group A’s growth slowed in later weeks, indicating a possible limitation due to restricted root space.

Conclusion:

The effect of root space on plant growth is evidenced by the significant differences in average height between the two groups. The plants in Group B, which had deeper containers (10 cm), showed greater growth throughout the entire observation period compared to those in Group A (3 cm). This suggests that increased root space allows for deeper root penetration, better nutrient uptake, and overall healthier plant development.

Determining Factors:

To understand whether these effects were likely due to environmental or genetic factors, we rely on the following points:

1. Controlled Variables: Both groups were subjected to the same environmental conditions (amount of water, sunlight, and soil type), which helps confirm that the primary differentiating factor was the depth of the containers (root space).

2. Same Genetic Variety: Since both groups were of the same plant variety, genetic differences can be ruled out as a significant factor influencing growth.

3. Responsive Growth to Environment: The consistent performance of Group B over Group A indicates that differing conditions (in this case, root space) likely had a direct impact on plant growth.

In summary, the data support the conclusion that root space significantly affects plant growth, evidenced by the better growth metrics in Group B. The experimental design supports that these differences are attributed to environmental factors (root space) rather than genetic factors.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

Effect of Root Space on Plant Growth

Based on the student's investigation into the effect of root space on plant growth, it is clear that root space significantly affects plant height. The data collected shows the average height of plants in two groups, with Group A grown in 3 cm deep containers and Group B in 10 cm deep containers.

Observational Data:

| 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 |

From the data:

• Overall Growth:

  • Group A: The average height increased from 2 cm to 10 cm over six weeks, with a relatively slow growth rate.
  • Group B: The average height increased from 3 cm to 18 cm over the same period, with a more substantial increase, particularly in the later weeks.

• Comparison:

  • In Week 6, Group B was 8 cm taller than Group A, demonstrating that the plants in the deeper containers had more room for root expansion, leading to greater overall growth.

Conclusion:

The effect of root space on plant growth suggests that plants in Group B (10 cm deep containers) demonstrated significantly better growth compared to those in Group A (3 cm deep containers). The increased root space allows for more extensive root development, enabling access to nutrients and water, which is likely the reason for the enhanced growth rates observed in Group B.

Determining the Source of Variations:

To discern whether these observed effects were due to environmental factors (such as root space) or genetic factors (inherent characteristics of the plants), we can consider the following aspects:

1. Controlled Conditions:

   • Both groups of plants were grown under identical conditions: same variety, equal amounts of water, sunlight, and soil type. This careful control of environmental factors implies that these conditions did not influence the outcomes and that we are primarily assessing the impact of root space.

2. Same Genotype:

   • Since both groups consisted of the same variety of plants, genetic variations that could influence growth have been minimized. This lack of genetic variation supports the conclusion that the root space difference is the primary cause of the differing growth patterns.

3. Growth Responsiveness:

   • The consistent performance of Group B, with significantly greater height measurements across all weeks, indicates that the effect of root space manifestly influenced their growth. If the response had varied greatly among genetically identical plants, one might suspect that genetic factors were at play.

Summary:

In summary, the investigation clearly shows that increased root space positively affects plant growth, as evidenced by the superior height of plants in deeper containers. Given the controlled experimental conditions and identical genotypes, the observed variations in growth can be attributed to environmental factors—specifically, the amount of root space available.