Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Middle School
Life Science
Plant Growth Without Soil Cluster
All living things need matter and energy to grow. For plants, that process begins with photosynthesis - a chemical reaction that converts carbon dioxide (CO
The general chemical equation for photosynthesis is:
In soil-based systems, plants also absorb minerals through their roots, but most of the plant’s mass actually comes from the carbon in carbon dioxide - not from the soil itself. Hydroponics provides a clear way to see this: plants growing in only water and light still gain weight because photosynthesis builds carbohydrates using carbon from the air and hydrogen and oxygen from water.
This demonstrates how photosynthesis drives the cycling of matter and flow of energy - sunlight energy enters the system, chemical energy is stored in sugars, and oxygen is released to the environment. The plant’s growth is visible evidence of energy transformation and matter conversion.
Graph of Information - Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Using the table and Figure 1, compare the growth of plants in nutrient solution versus plain water. What pattern do you observe?
Which statement best explains why hydroponic plants may grow faster than soil-grown plants?
Do environmental factors influence the growth of plants in hydroponic systems?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
Explain why nutrient availability is especially important in a hydroponic environment.
Which observation provides evidence that water alone is not enough for normal plant growth?
Compare the growth of hydroponic plants to soil-grown plants in the same lighting conditions. What does this reveal about resource availability?