Students in a school greenhouse grow cuttings from a single mint plant. Fig. 1 shows the steps used. Each cutting is placed in compost and covered with a cl...
Question 1 Report
Students in a school greenhouse grow cuttings from a single mint plant. Fig. 1 shows the steps used. Each cutting is placed in compost and covered with a clear cap until roots form. The students give every pot the same amount of water and place them under the same lamp. They notice that some leaves become smaller when a plant is near the lamp, even though the plants started as clones. The students want to separate inherited variation from variation caused by conditions.
(a) Identify the process used to make the new mint plants. [1]
(b) Explain why the cuttings have the same genes as the original plant. [2]
(c) Use Fig. 1 to identify one environmental variable controlled by the students. [1]
(d) Suggest why leaves close to the lamp may be smaller. [2]
Answer Details
(a) Asexual reproduction / cloning / vegetative propagation [1] (b) New cells are made by mitosis [1]; there is no fusion of gametes / no mixing of genetic material, so the DNA is the same [1] (c) Same amount of water / same lamp / compost type [1] (d) Any two: higher temperature near the lamp [1]; increased water loss / transpiration [1]; less water for cell expansion so leaves are smaller [1]
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