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Additional Experiments on Seed Germination
8. Looking at the structure of a seedling
Name: Class:
School: Date:

Method

Take out one of the best seedlings from experiment 7 and gently shake of the soil.

Questions:

A) Draw your seedling in the space below. Use the following vocabulary words to label your drawing: Main root, lateral roots, leaves, food stores, terminal bud, seed coat (look in the soil for this if necessary and draw it in the diagram). Colour in the drawing according to what you observe. Make sure you can find all the structures on you seedling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B) What parts of the seed do you see?

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C) What happened to the different parts of the seed?

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When the conditions are right, the seed will start to germinate. It takes in water from the soil across the seed coat and it starts to respire. The roots grow downwards into the soil and the shoot starts to grow upwards towards the light. The food store in the seeds becomes smaller as its energy is used for growth. Once the leaves are above the ground and become green they can start to use the energy from sunlight to make food for the plant. The roots take up water and minerals that help the plant to grow.