Edexcel GCE Biology – AS Unit 3

!You can investigate plant mineral deficiencies in the lab

Here's how to investigate mineral deficiency in a plant using calcium ions

as an example (you could do the same experiment with any of the
following minerals mentioned: water, magnesium ions, nitrate ions and
.calcium ions)

Method

Take 30 seedlings of the same plant (they should be the same age and (1
.height) and plant them in separate pots

Make up three nutrient broths containing all the essential minerals, (2

but vary the concentration of calcium ions. Make up one broth with a high
concentration, one with a medium concentration and one with a low
.concentration of calcium

Split the plants into three groups. Each group should be given only one (3
.of the three broths

Record the heights of the plants after seven weeks. Calculate the (4
.average height of each group of plants

During the experiment it's important to keep all other variables the (5
.same, e.g. the amount of sunlight and water the plants receive

Results

The greater the concentration of calcium, the more the plants grew – (1
average heights of 12, 18 and 23 cm were reached for plants given low,
.medium and high concentrations respectively

.This shows that when calcium is deficient, plant growth is inhibited (2

Calcium ion Average height at Average height after 7

concentration start /cm weeks /cm
High 6 23
Medium 6 18
Low 6 12

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