Selected Project 2-How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes?

How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes?

Difficulty
Time Required	Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites	None
Material Availability	Readily available
Cost	Average ($40 - $80)
Safety	No issues.

Abstract

You might not know it, but plants are able to sense their environment and actually respond appropriately. One of the key parameters that every plant must respond to is the direction of gravity: stems go up (opposite to the pull of gravity) and roots go down (in the same direction as the force of gravity). In this project, you will construct simple devices that hold several germinating seeds, which allow you to watch how growing rootlets respond as you rotate the devices, effectively altering the direction of gravity.

Objective

In this science project, you will study how growing rootlets respond to gravity.

Credits

David Whyte, PhD and Teisha Rowland, PhD, Science Buddies

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