Characteristics of Fruit and Seeds
How does a plant's fruit structure help it survive?
It protects the seeds and attracts animals to carry the seeds away from the parent plant.
What structure does water have to get through to start the germination process?
Seed coat
What is the function of the seed coat?
To protect the plant from the outside environment
What does it mean for a seed to DISPERSE?
To spread out or move away from its parent plant.
What does it mean to be dormant?
Resting/not growing
We normally think about a pepper as a vegetable. Explain why it is scientifically a fruit.
It has and grows from seeds.
What two structures does the embryo of a seed grow into?
One end grows into the roots. The other end grows into the stem and leaves.
What is the function of the roots?
To bring in water and nutrients from the soil and/or to hold the plant in the ground
What characteristics of a seed/fruit make it attractive to an animal so that it can be dispersed?
Bright colors, sweet taste
What is germination?
Germination is the beginning stages of plant growth when the embryo starts growing.
Describe how we knew the lima beans soaked up water. How did their characteristics change overnight?
Their size got bigger, and they looked swollen. Their color changed. The seed coat came off easily. Most importantly, their mass increased.
What is the difference between a seed and a seedling?
A seedling is a seed that has germinated and some of the plant's structures are beginning to grow.
What is the function of stem?
To transport water, nutrients, and food throughout the whole plant and/or to hold the plant up
What are the three main ways that seeds are dispersed?
By wind, water, and animals
What characteristic did we measure to determine how much water our lima bean seeds soaked up?
Mass
Compare and contrast the characteristics of the bean and pea seedlings. List two things that are the same and two things that are different.
Answers will vary
What seed structure grows/comes out first? Why?
The roots come out first because they help the seed start to bring in water and nutrients so that it can germinate.
What is the function of the leaves?
To take in sunlight and air to make food for the plant
There are 3 main ways for seeds to be dispersed. Name a characteristic of a seed that is dispersed in each of the 3 ways.
Answers will vary
What is the alarm clock to a seed to begin germinating?
Water
True or False: There are over 15 bean plants in this picture. All 15 bean plants will grow to the same height and have the same type of roots, the same number of seeds growing on the plant, and the same size of the leaves.
False
Bonus Points if you can tell me which one of the characteristics listed WILL be the same between all 15 plants.
Label all 5 parts of the seed structure diagram.
Ms. Schake will approve correct answers.
What is the function of the cotyledons?
To store food for the seed as it first starts to germinate (before the leaves can make food).
Explain how seeds would be competing with their parent plants if they tried to grow very close to them.
Seeds are competing with the parent plant for the things they need to grow, like sunlight, nutrients, water, and space. If the parent plant is using most of these resources, the seed won't be able to grow and survive.
What is another word for structure? What is another word for function?
Structure = part
Function = job