XYLEM, PHLOEM AND STOMATA OBSERVATION

Studying Vascular Tissues of a Plant, which act as an Aqueduct for it:                 Observing Xylem and Phloem

EXPERIMENT 1: CELERY JARS.

OBJECTIVES

·         Identify and recognize the Xylem and Phloem in the plant.

·         Know how plants transport water and nutrients from the bottom of the plant (roots) to the leaves and its effect.

·         Plan and design easy ways to identify the channels of the stem.

MATERIALS

·         Food colorant (2 different colors)

·         Two cups

·         Scissors or a knife

·         Marker          

·         Gloves

·         Lab coat.

·         Microscope (OPTIONAL)

·         Slides (OPTIONAL)

REACTIVES

·         Water (H₂O)

·         2 stalks of celery with leaves

PROCEDURE

1.    Set a cup or a container with water.

2.    Pour the food colorant to the water and stir it to color the water.

3.    Get two stalks of celery, with leaves.

4.    Place the stalks of celery in the cup, 1 stalk per each.

5.    Measure and indicate the level of water with the marker.

6.    Let the celery there around 1 to 2 days.

7.    Observe and record changes of the leaves, the amount of water, and the veins.

8.    After the 1 or 2 days, take out the stalks and cut it horizontally several times in different points, to observe the dots with the color of the water. Those are the channels of the plant.

9.    Draw and record the color of the veins and leaves and observe other changes.

10. Cut it vertically to see more vessels clearly.

11.  (OPTIONAL) You can observe it in the microscope for more observations, with the objectives 4X, 10X and 40X. If you do this, cut a very thin slice.

Observing Tiny “Noses” located in the Leaves: Knowing Stomata

EXPERIMENT 2: STOMATA IMPRESSIONS

OBJECTIVES

·         Identify stomata in the leaves and know its function

·         Understand how leaves take in gases.

·         Know an easy way to observe stomata.

MATERIALS

·         Clear fingernail polish

·         Transparent tape

·         Microscope

·         Slides

REACTIVES

·         3 leaves of different plants

PROCEDURE

1.    Take 1 leaf from three different plants.

2.    Paint a thick layer of polish in the back part of the leaf, preferable at the bottom.

3.    Let the polish to dry (around 20-25 minutes)

4.    When dry, tape the patch.

5.    Peel slowly the tape and see that the polish is attached.

6.    Paste the tape with the print to a slide.

7.    Turn on the microscope and set the slide so that you can observe stomata.

8.    Observe and draw and record the observations.

9.    Repeat steps from 2 to 8 with the other two leaves.

10. Compare and deduct in which leaf were more stomata and why.