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More about plants
What do plants need in order to grow?
To
grow, plants need water, sunshine for warmth and light, and minerals.
The minerals come from the soil and are dissolved in the water
and taken up by the plant's roots. Soil containing dead and rotting
plant and animal material is the best soil for plants. Worms and
other burrowing animals carry mix this material into the soil.
Plants also need the gases carbon dioxide and oxygen which come from the air around them.
Plants use carbon dioxide, water and sun's energy to make its food. This process is called photosynthesis.
As it makes its food the plant produces oxygen. It needs some oxygen but not a lot. The oxygen the plant does not need, leaves the plant through its leaves and goes into the air we breathe.
What are the roots and the stem?
Roots hold the plant in the soil. Roots carry water
to the plant's stem. There are 2 main kinds
of roots. Fibrous
roots are
thin roots that spread out through the soil like underground branches.
The roots of this tree have spread out above the ground
Tap roots are large thick roots
with finer,hairy roots coming off them. Tap roots 
store food made in the leaves. It travels
down the stem and into the root.
Carrots and parsnips are tap roots. People eat many kinds of tap roots.
Roots grow towards water. Stems grow towards light.
What are the leaves?
Leaves come in many shapes and sizes. Leaves have veins running through them. The veins carry the water and minerals from the roots and stem through the leaves. Veins also carry food made by the leaves to the rest of the plant.
Green plants have a chemical called chlorophyll in their leaves. This chemical lets the plant use the sun's energy, water and carbon dioxide to make food in the process known as photosynthesis. It is the chlorophyll which makes the leaves green.
Leaves also breathe for the plant. They take in carbon dioxide from the air and give out oxygen.
Leaves are food for animals
Acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
More About
Plants (2002).
[Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au
Other plant pages on kidcyber
Plants
and Us/ Plants We Eat/ Seeds
and Bulbs/ potatoes/ tea / Seasons/
Australian Grasslands/
History of fruits and vegetables/ kidcyberQuests
1 & 2
/ Activity pages 1 &
2
updated August 2006