What is Plant Transpiration?

Grade Level: 5th - 6th; Type: Life Science

Objective:

What is the project about?

Transpiration is the loss of water from plant leaves. Water exits the leaf through stomata, which are tiny pore spaces in the leaf. The rate of transpiration depends on air temperature and solar radiation. This science fair project will investigate how much water can a plant take up and release in a certain period of time through the process of transpiration.

What are the goals?

Two test tubes or test tube like containers will be filled three-quarters full with water a plant stem will be placed in one of the test tubes. The height of the water in each test tube will be measured and recorded. The water level will be check over a predetermined time period. Based on the results of this investigation data tables will be prepared and the results potted on a graph. This science fair project will support or refute the idea that water is released from plants during a process called transpiration that is caused by evaporation.

Research Questions:

• What is transpiration?
• What caused the water to go down in the test tube containing the plant stem?
• Did the same thing happen in the test tube with water only?
• What was the calculated rate of transpiration?
• Using the graph, compare the rate of transpiration with the rate of evaporation alone.
• What was the control for this investigation?

Transpiration is important for any plant to survive. It keeps water moving in the plant, along with the dissolved mineral salts that the plant needs for nutrition and it helps cool the plant. Much of the water taken up by plants is released through transpiration. It is difficult to separate the processes of evaporation and transpiration, so this transfer of water is sometimes simply called "evapotranspiration."

All plants transpire. The rate of transpiration depends on a plant's physical properties and its environmental conditions. As transpiration occurs mainly on the leaf, a general rule is that plants with larger leaves will transpire more than plants with smaller leaves.

Factors like the humidity of the air surrounding the plant and temperature will affect the rate of transpiration and there must be enough water available in the soil. This project will enable the investigator to connect what he or she sees with the process of water movement into and out of a plant's tissues (leaves).

Any required diagrams/pictures (Pictures speak a thousand words!)

Digital photos can be taken during the experimenting process also the following sites offer down loadable images that can be used on the display board:

http://www.apm-realty.com/7as-artesian/images/Transpiration.jpg

http://click4biology.info/c4b/9/images/9.2/transpiration1.gif

http://coyotegulch.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/transpiration.jpg