Leaf Transpiration!
Key Concepts
Materials:
1 Tree or Bush
1 Large Ziplock Plastic Bag
Activity Directions:
Discussion Questions & Science Explanations:
Additional Experimentation:
- Find a low-hanging branch on a tree or bush. Put a bunch of leaves in a plastic bag, then seal the plastic bag as much as you can.
- Use duct tape to seal the end of the bag and tape the bag to the branch of the plant so the bag is completely airtight.
- Come back in a few hours and again the next day. Notice how the bag changes.
Discussion Questions & Science Explanations:
- How do plants obtain water?
- Vascular plants (which include trees and bushes) absorb water in their roots and transport it to their leaves using special tissue called xylem. Once the water reaches the leaves, the plants use it to perform photosynthesis.
- Vascular plants (which include trees and bushes) absorb water in their roots and transport it to their leaves using special tissue called xylem. Once the water reaches the leaves, the plants use it to perform photosynthesis.
- What is transpiration?
- Transpiration is the loss of water from plant stems and leaves. Light energy from the sun causes liquid water inside the plant’s leaves or stems to evaporate and become water vapor in the air surrounding the plant.
- Transpiration is the loss of water from plant stems and leaves. Light energy from the sun causes liquid water inside the plant’s leaves or stems to evaporate and become water vapor in the air surrounding the plant.
- Why did liquid water appear in the bag?
- Transpiration adds water vapor to the air in the bag. As the water vapor in the air cools, it condenses and becomes liquid water in the bottom of the bag.
- Transpiration adds water vapor to the air in the bag. As the water vapor in the air cools, it condenses and becomes liquid water in the bottom of the bag.
- Do you notice dew on your grass in the morning? How is dew similar to the water you find in the bag?
- Dew forms when the water vapor in the air condenses into liquid water on leaves. You usually find dew in the morning because air is colder at night which causes more water vapor to condense. The water in the bag is not the same as dew because dew comes from water vapor in the air surrounding the plant while the water in the bag comes from inside of the plant. However, the water in the bottom of the bag and dew both form because water vapor condenses into liquid water.
- Dew forms when the water vapor in the air condenses into liquid water on leaves. You usually find dew in the morning because air is colder at night which causes more water vapor to condense. The water in the bag is not the same as dew because dew comes from water vapor in the air surrounding the plant while the water in the bag comes from inside of the plant. However, the water in the bottom of the bag and dew both form because water vapor condenses into liquid water.
Additional Experimentation:
- Try the same procedure on different types of plants. How does this affect the results?
- Try the same procedure on different parts of the plant such as the roots or bark. Do these parts of the plant cause the same amount of condensation to form in the bag?
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Published 7.4.2020
Author: Anna Hudson
