Core Practical 8: Investigate the Effect of Environmental Conditions on Water Uptake in a Plant Shoot

Hypothesis:
Does wind speed affect water uptake in a plant shoot? If wind speed increases the distance the bubble moves
will also increase. If there is greater water uptake by the plant shoot then the bubble in the capillary tube will
move a larger distance.

Null Hypothesis:
There is no correlation between wind speed and rate of transpiration, and there is no significant difference
between them.

Control variables - The surface area of the leaves, size of the plant stem, distance of the fan from the shoot,
stomatal density. Each time, the same plant shoot should be used to ensure that these variables are equal.

Dependent variable - The movement of the bubble to find volume of water taken up in transpiration which
will be used to calculate the transpiration rate.

Independent variable - The wind speed from the fan towards the plant. To change the windspeed the
different fan settings, speeds 1 and 2, will be used.

Equipment:
 Leafy shoot: A leafy shoot should be used to take up water. Only one should be used to ensure that
some variables such as leaf area, will remain constant.
 Capillary tubing with rubber connector: This equipment will hold the leafy shoot and create the
bubble, which will be used to measure water uptake.
 Beaker: To catch any water that has been cleared from the glass capillary tubes
 Petroleum jelly: Petroleum jelly will seal the join between the shoot and the rubber connector. This
will create an airtight seal that will maintain suction.
 Stopwatch: To keep accurate time so the distance the bubble moves can be measured in a set number
of minutes.
 Scissors: Scissors can be used to trim the stems or remove the excess petroleum jelly
 Fan: The fan will be used to simulate wind speed of different strengths to observe how it affects water
uptake.

Method:
1. Place the capillary tube and rubber connector underwater and fill both parts. Water will rise inside
the capillary tube due to the adhesion between water molecules and the glass walls of the tube; this
with the surface tension in the water produces an effect called capillarity (1).
2. Choose a leafy shoot with a stem of a similar diameter to the gap in the rubber connector as possible.
Trim the shoot as needed while keeping the end of the leafy shoot underwater.
3. Still under the water, insert the shoot into the rubber connector, making the fit as tight as possible.
4. Clamp the capillary tube to the stand with the shoot at the top. Place the bottom end of the capillary
tube into a beaker of water. To stop the leafy shoot from becoming detached, two people should
carry out this step.
5. Cover the join between the shoot and the rubber connector with petroleum jelly to maintain airtight
conditions (2). This makes sure there is no loss of pressure as the transpiration stream pulls the water
from the potometer to draw it up into the xylem which requires that suction is maintained (3). Dry the
leaves gently with paper towels.
6. Leave the apparatus for 5 minutes so water can be drawn up into the end of the capillary tube. A
small air bubble should be seen at the end of the capillary tube. If there is no air bubble, quickly
remove the tube from the water and blot the end of the capillary tube with a piece of paper towel; an
air bubble should appear in the capillary tube (4).
 7. Measure the distance moved (cm) by the bubble over 5 minutes measuring the position of the bubble
on the ruler of the capillary tube every minute. Convert this measurement into a rate of transpiration
by dividing the volume of water taken up by time (2).
8. Repeat the experiment but change an abiotic variable (2), a non-living factor that shapes the
environment (5). To test how wind speed affects water uptake use a fan to replicate wind and the
different settings to change the wind speed. Do not change the position of the fan between
measurements. Allow the shoot to settle in the new conditions for 2–3 minutes before testing.
9. When your investigation is complete, work out the leaf area of your shoot by drawing around each
leaf on graph paper and counting the squares

Tables to show the distance a bubble moved inside a potometer at varying wind speeds

Distance bubble moved (cm) over 5 minutes

Fan speed Minute 0 Minute 1 Minute 2 Minute 3 Minute 4 Minute 5
None 0.0 0.4 1.2 0.9 0.7 0.2
Speed 1 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.8 1.1 0.9
Speed 2 0.0 0.4 1.1 0.8 1.0 1.2

Total distance (cm) Average rate (mm/minute)

No wind 3.40 0.68
Speed 1 3.10 0.62
Speed 2 4.50 0.90

I found that water uptake, in general, increased with an increase in wind speed, which was consistent with my
hypothesis. Wind speed increases the rate of transpiration as the wind will blow away water molecules that
have diffused out of the leaf and increase the water potential gradient between the inside of the leaf and the
outside (6). However, there was a decrease in the total distance the bubble moved at wind speed 1, so water
uptake was less. Overall, the evidence for my hypothesis is insufficient to support it. The results of the
experiment may have been influenced by abiotic factors, such as light intensity, the temperature in the room,
and humidity. Light intensity increases the rate of transpiration because the plants are photosynthesizing
more which requires more gas exchange and so plants will have their stomata open for longer (6).
Temperature increases the transpiration rate because water molecules with more kinetic energy will diffuse
faster from the stomata at higher temperatures, increasing the water potential gradient between the inside
and outside of the leaf (6). During future experiments, these variables will be controlled by using LED lights
and closing all windows and doors to prevent any outside influences. A hygrometer can be used to monitor
humidity.

References:

(1) (12/02/2023) https://spark.iop.org/capillary-action#:~:text=Water%20rises%20inside%20the%20capillary,with%20a

%20characteristic%20concave%20surface.
(2) (12/02/2023) https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/pdf-pages/?pdf=https%3A%2F
%2Fpmt.physicsandmathstutor.com%2Fdownload%2FBiology%2FA-level%2FNotes%2FEdexcel-B%2FPractical-Skills
%2FCP%252008%2520-%2520Environmental%2520conditions%2520and%2520water%2520uptake.pdf
(3) (06/05/2016) https://tbrann.weebly.com/biology-blog/core-practical-8-investigate-the-effect-of-environmental-
conditions-on-water-uptake-in-a-plant-shoot#:~:text=It%20is%20necessary%20to%20form,means%20that%20you
%20maintain%20suction.
(4) (20/02/2023) https://practicalbiology.org/exchange-of-materials/transpiration-in-plants/measuring-rate-of-water-
uptake-by-a-plant-shoot-using-a-potometer#:~:text=e%20Gently%20blot%20the%20end,the%20water%20in%20the
%20beaker.
(5) (20/02/2023) https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/resource-library-abiotic-factor/
(6) (23/02/2023) https://www.thesciencehive.co.uk/water-transport-and-transpiration-a-level#:~:text=Wind%20%2D
%20windier%20conditions%20increases%20the,the%20leaf%20and%20the%20outside.

Questions

1) In order for the shoot to pull water from the potometer and pull it up into the xylem, an airtight seal
must be formed. This will ensure there is no loss of pressure. The turgor pressure of the stream would
not be affected by holes in a real plant.
2) The time between experiments was one of the limitations; ideally, the plant shoot would have gone
from normal to the changed conditions each time, but the shoot was still likely affected by the
previous experiment. Another limitation is making sure the seal is airtight as this would affect the
transpiration stream and therefore the measurements for the experiment
3) The data may be less accurate than real conditions.
4) When reducing limitations, to obtain more reliable results, repeat the experiment multiple times. A
proper sealant can be used to hold down a flexible material around the gap in order to improve the
airtight seal.