Question 1

How could you show experimentally that photosynthesis is important for plant growth?

Accepted Answer

By exposing groups of plants to different amounts of sunlight, you can directly observe the impact of photosynthesis on plant growth, as sunlight is a key factor in the photosynthesis process.

Question 2

To which of the two main pant organ systems do stems belong?

Accepted Answer

Stems belong to the shoot system, which includes the above-ground parts of plants such as leaves, stems, and flowers. The root system is a separate organ system that includes underground roots. The dermal tissue is a type of tissue found in both the shoot and root systems that forms the outer protective layer of plants.

Question 3

How would you test to see if organic nitrogen was required for optimal plant growth?

Accepted Answer

The best way to test if organic nitrogen is required for optimal plant growth is to set up an experiment using different amounts of nitrogen fertilizer. This will allow you to see if the plants grow differently when given varying amounts of a nitrogen source that is not organic in nature. Set up a control group with no nitrogen fertilizer as a comparison. Testing atmospheric nitrogen or carbon dioxide would not be directly relevant to investigating the requirement for organic nitrogen in plant growth.

Question 4

Scientists refer to the water potential of a plant in describing how water moves through a plant.Which of the following statements about the water potential is false?

Accepted Answer

Water moves through a plant when the water potential of the entire system is either greater than or less than zero, not when it is equal to zero. In other words, water moves from areas of high water potential to areas of lower water potential. The water potential is affected by solute concentration, pressure, and matric potentials, which can cause water to move into or out of plant cells.

Question 5

Stems carry water through ________tissue and nutrients through _________tissue.(Outcome #6a)

Accepted Answer

Xylem tissue carries water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant, while phloem tissue carries nutrients, such as sugars, from the leaves to the rest of the plant. Therefore, option A is the correct choice as it correctly identifies the tissues responsible for carrying water and nutrients in plants. Option B is incorrect as it has switched the functions of phloem and xylem, and option C is incorrect as veins and arteries are used to transport blood in animals, not water and nutrients in plants.

Question 6

Which of the following is not usually part of a typical leaf?

Accepted Answer

Tendrils are not typically part of a leaf. They are specialized structures for climbing or support found in some plants such as peas and grapevines. The lamina (also called blade) and midrib are usually present in a leaf, with the lamina being the flattened, expanded part of the leaf and the midrib being the central vein that supports it.

Question 7

Plant tissue systems fall into two general categories.What are they?

Accepted Answer

Plant tissue systems can be classified as either permanent or meristematic. Permanent tissues are derived from meristematic tissues and no longer have the ability to divide. Meristematic tissues, on the other hand, retain the ability to divide and give rise to new cells.

Question 8

Root systems fall into two major categories:________________.(Outcome #Via)

Accepted Answer

Root systems can be categorized as taproot or fibrous root systems. Taproot systems have one main root that grows straight down and smaller lateral roots branching off of it. Fibrous root systems have many smaller roots that spread out in all directions from the base of the plant. The other two choices (A and C) refer to types of plants or plant structures, not root systems.

Question 9

Annual growth rings in trees are the result of what?

Accepted Answer

Annual growth rings in trees are the result of the seasonal variation in vascular cambium, consisting of the development of thin cell walls in secondary xylem in the spring and thicker cell walls in secondary xylem in the fall. This results in the alternating light and dark bands seen in the cross-section of a tree trunk.

Question 10

The leaves of plants serve as the primary sites of what?

Accepted Answer

The leaves of plants contain chloroplasts that are responsible for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy to fuel their growth and development. While reproduction and growth also occur in leaves, photosynthesis is their primary function.

Question 11

A scientist traversing a remote wooded area discovers what he thinks is a new plant species.He makes observations of the plant, discovers that it produces a nut similar to an acorn, and concludes it is what type of plant?

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms are flowering plants that produce seeds encased in a fruit or nut. The fact that the plant discovered by the scientist produces a nut similar to an acorn suggests that it is an angiosperm rather than a gymnosperm, which does not produce fruits or nuts. Ginkophytes are a type of gymnosperm, but the information given does not suggest that this new plant is a ginkophyte specifically.

Question 12

Vascular plants have two main organ systems.What are they?

Accepted Answer

Vascular plants have two main organ systems, roots and shoots. The roots anchor the plant in the soil and absorb water and nutrients, while the shoots consist of stems and leaves and are responsible for photosynthesis and transportation of nutrients. Option A is incorrect because stems and leaves are part of the shoot system, which is only one of the two organ systems in vascular plants. Option C is not a valid option because vasculature refers to the transportation system within plants and is not considered an organ system in and of itself.

Question 13

A single vascular bundle in a leaf consists of which tissues?

Accepted Answer

A single vascular bundle in a leaf consists of both xylem and phloem, which are responsible for transporting water and nutrients throughout the plant.

Question 14

The male gamete of a flowering plant is known as:

Accepted Answer

The male gamete of a flowering plant is known as pollen. Sperm is usually associated with animals, and spores are not typically involved in the reproduction of flowering plants.

Question 15

The plant structure that consists of upper and lower epidermis and mesophyll consisting of two types of parenchyma is what?

Accepted Answer

The plant structure that consists of upper and lower epidermis and mesophyll consisting of two types of parenchyma is the leaf. The upper and lower epidermis protect the leaf, while the mesophyll contains the chloroplasts where photosynthesis occurs. The two types of parenchyma in the mesophyll are the palisade parenchyma and spongy parenchyma. The palisade parenchyma is located near the upper epidermis and contains elongated cells that are responsible for most of the photosynthesis in the leaf. The spongy parenchyma is located near the lower epidermis and consists of loosely arranged cells that allow for gas exchange.

Question 16

A scientist traversing a remote wooded area discovers what he thinks is a new plant species.He observes a variety of characteristics and concludes that the plant is an angiosperm.What is one possible supporting observation for this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms are flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit or ovary. Option A states that the plant produces nuts, which are a type of fruit, similar to maple tree seeds, supporting the conclusion that the plant is an angiosperm. Options B and C describe characteristics of gymnosperms (plants that produce seeds without an ovary), which would not support the conclusion that the plant is an angiosperm.

Question 17

How could you show experimentally that leaves are necessary for plant growth?

Accepted Answer

By removing different numbers of leaves from plants in each test group and measuring their growth under the same conditions, we can observe the effect of leaf removal on plant growth. If the plants with fewer leaves show stunted growth or die, it would indicate that leaves are necessary for plant growth. Exposing plants to different amounts of sunlight or painting leaves with clear nail polish would not provide a direct measure of the necessity of leaves for plant growth.

Question 18

Streptophytes, Bryophytes, and Monilophytes are phyla within which general plant category?

Accepted Answer

Streptophytes, Bryophytes, and Monilophytes are all phyla within the general plant category of homosporous seedless plants, meaning they do not produce seeds and have a single type of spore that develops into a bisexual gametophyte.

Question 19

The leaf stoma is the structure primarily responsible for the transport of what?

Accepted Answer

The leaf stoma is responsible for allowing carbon dioxide to enter the plant for photosynthesis.

Question 20

Which of the following is the characteristic reproductive structure for angiosperm plants?

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms have flowers as their characteristic reproductive structure, which contains male and female organs for reproduction. Spores and cones are characteristic reproductive structures for other types of plants such as ferns and gymnosperms, respectively.

Quiz 14: Diversity of Plants