Science: Internal and External Structures and Functions of Plants

Question 1

True or False: a living thing is a system of structures working together to help it survive

Answer 1

True

Question 2

What are the key questions to ask when you want to figure out a system’s function?

Answer 2

(1) what does it do?
(2) what is its job?

Question 3

What are the key questions to ask when you want to figure out a system’s structure?

Answer 3

(1) what does it look like?
(2) what is it made of?

Question 4

What is the function of a flower’s ovary?

Answer 4

It helps the flower reproduce by producing eggs and providing a place for seeds to develop

Question 5

What is a plant’s vascular system and what does it do?

Answer 5

Vascular system: a collection of small tubes that carries food/sugar (phloem) and water with nutrients (xylem) up, down and throughout the plant

Question 6

True or false: a plant’s xylem moves water throughout the plant in many directions

Answer 6

False, it only moves water in one direction, from roots up to other plant parts

Question 7

What are the 3 key things that plants need for photosynthesis?

Answer 7

Water (H20), light and carbon dioxide (CO2)

Question 8

How do stomata and chloroplasts contribute to photosynthesis?

Answer 8

Stromata captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, which is a key component needed to make glucose, which is a type of sugar and is food for plants

Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll which help to synthesize food by absorbing light and converting it into the energy needed to make food

Question 9

How does photosynthesis help other animals?

Answer 9

A part of photosynthesis involves plants taking CO2 from the air to make sugar, and then releasing oxygen back into the air, which is needed by animals

Question 10

Name 5 external plant structures

Answer 10

Leaves

Stems

Roots

Flowers

Thorns

Bark

Question 11

What does a cuticle do?

Answer 11

A cuticle is a waxy covering that provides protection for leaves by reducing water loss and preventing unwanted water from entering plants

Question 12

What are some external plant structures that protects plants?

Answer 12

Thorns help to prevent animals from eating plants

Bark protect a tree from harmful materials or organisms - some thick bark even protects from fires

Question 13

Describe the key parts of a plant’s reproductive system and what they do

Answer 13

Petals have different shapes, colors and odors to attract pollinators (animals and insects) that help to transfer pollen from a stamen to a pistil

Stamen is the male part of the flower’s reproductive system and makes pollen

Pistil is the female part of the flower’s reproductive system and receives pollen from pistil, the ovary inside the pistil produces eggs and provide a place for seeds to grow

The sepal protects a budding flower by wrapping around it

Question 14

True or false: flower nectar have odors that attract bees to help in pollination

Answer 14

False. Bees are actually attracted to certain types of ultraviolet light.

Question 15

What are some structures that certain plants have that do not rely on pollinators to disperse seeds?

Answer 15

Milkweed have seed pods that explode, flinging its seeds around

Dandelion seeds are fluffy and can be carried away by wind

Pine cone protect seeds which are dispersed when the pine cone falls off a plant

Coconuts can float and travel over water to distant places

Question 16

What is are the functions of roots?

Answer 16

To capture water from soil, which is needed for plants to produce food through photosynthesis

Question 17

What are examples of taproot that we can eat?

Answer 17

Carrots, radishes