Suppose you seal a house plant in a transparent glass container. What about the scenario would lead to the plant's death? One lack of oxygen to lack of light, three lack of carbon dioxide for lack of sugars

1 answer

Sealing a house plant in a transparent glass container would create a closed ecosystem. While the glass allows light to enter, there are several factors that can lead to the plant's death over time:

  1. Lack of Oxygen: Plants consume oxygen during the process of respiration, especially during the night when they do not photosynthesize. In a sealed environment, the oxygen levels could eventually decrease to a point where the plant cannot survive.

  2. Lack of Light: If the plant is not getting enough light (for example, if the container is not positioned well, or if it's covered or shaded), it will be unable to photosynthesize effectively. Without adequate light, it can't produce the sugars it needs to sustain itself.

  3. Lack of Carbon Dioxide: While plants produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, in a sealed environment, the initial supply of carbon dioxide could be depleted as the plant uses it up for photosynthesis. Without sufficient carbon dioxide, the plant cannot photosynthesize and produce the sugars it needs.

In most cases, the combination of these factors, particularly the interplay between carbon dioxide levels and the available light, would ultimately lead to the plant's death. If the container environment is not balanced perfectly, it would likely face one or more of these life-sustaining requisites being exhausted, leading to its demise.