You think that cotton is non-living but was once part of a living thing.

You are correct!

Cotton is produced by the cotton tree. It is part of the structure of the fruit. The cotton forms a parachute which helps the fruit stay in the air and move in the air currents. The seeds of the cotton plant are inside the fruit. The seeds are dispersed over a wide area, away from the parent plant, with the help of the fruit's cotton parachute. We pick the cotton before the fruits leave the tree so it can be used in the manufacture of cotton pads, for example.

Now try question 4

© Shirley Burchill 2008