Microscope Lab: Comparing Monocot and Dicots

Title: Root and Stems

Purpose: Students are to make their own

Materials: Students are to make their own

Procedures:

PART A:
1. Examine the slide of the root
2. Make a detailed sketch of the root and label the parts i) cortex, epidermis, endodermis, root hairs, vascular cylinder.
3. This is to be done under low power magnification (40x) for the monocot and dicot specimens provided on the slide.

PART B:
4. Examine the slide of the stem
5. Make a detailed sketch of the stem and label the parts.
6. This is to be done under low or medium power magnification. To make sure that you do not have to draw the entire field of view. Simply draw a slice of a circle (field of view) and draw that out. Make sure to state the magnification of your drawing.
7. Using the high power magnification sketch a detailed picture of the vascular bundle in both the monocot and dicot stems. Clearly label each part of the vascular bundle.

Discussion:

Using a chart format summarize each cell type, function, and location in both the monocot and dicot plant. This is to be done for both the root and the stem.


This lab will be due on Wednesday March 30th.

STEM STRUCTURE DIAGRAMS and VASCULAR BUNDELS

VASCULAR SYSTEMS

• Vascular tissues or vascular bundles consist of an internal system of tubes that transport water, dissolved minerals and dissolved food throughout the plant.
• The vascular bundles in a stem arc continuous, tube-like strands connecting the vascular tissue of the root to the vascular tissue in the leaves.
• The transportation of water and dissolved minerals is carried out by specialized tissue called xylem in the vascular bundles.
• The transportation of dissolved food is carried out by specialized tissue called phloem in the vascular bundles.

XYLEM: Structure and Function
Structure:
• There are two types of xylem cells: vessel elements and
tracheids. Vessel elements are only found in angiosperms.
• Both vessel elements and tracheids have "pits" which arc
thin regions in the cell walls.
• The ends of these cells are either absent or perforated such that when these cells are connected end-to-end tubes or pipes are created.
• Cellulose and lignin are deposited on the exterior surfaces of xylem cells to form rigid cell walls. «When the cell walls are complete, the cytoplasm dies, leaving dead, hollow xylem. This results in very thick strong cell walls able to resist great water pressure.
• See page 532 Figure 14.16.


PHLOEM: Structure and Function

Structure:
• The phloem is made up of a companion cell, sieve-tube elements and sieve plates.
• These cells remain alive, unlike the xylem cells.
• Although sieve-tube elements lack a nucleus at maturity, because they have a cytoplasm and all of the other organelles it is still able to function.
• The cytoplasm of the sieve-tube cell is connected by pores to a nucleated companion cell next to it. It appears that the companion cell directs the activity of the sieve-tube cell.
• The sieve-tube elements are arranged end-to-end with sieve
plates separating them. Because of the large pores in the sieve plates, the cytoplasm of extends from one sieve-tube cell to the next.


Function:
• The function of the phloem is to transport food from one region of the plant to another.
• This process is still poorly understood.

CHECK THIS WEB SITE OUT
This will help you understand the parts of a tree trunk, and its specific sructures.
On the diagram on the web site click on the name to get more detail about each structure.

http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/ecotree/trunk/woodanatomy.htm

stem structures in detail 

herbaceous dicot stem 

woody stem 

dicot stem 

monocot stem 

ASSIGNMENT - Ethanol Fuel

This is for all of those of you whom where away, or absent during Fridays class before the break.

ASSIGNMENT:

Read pg 98- 101 in textbook.

1) Describe in your own words the process of making "fuel ethanol" ** Ensure that you include the reactants and products that produce and make it. (5 marks)

2) List the advantages and disadvantages of using ethanol fuel for automobiles. ( 5 marks)

3) Describe the long term effects and impact on our planet from the use of our current fuel
( gasoline, oil) as well as our alternative fuel types ( 5 marks)

PLANT UNIT OVERVIEW

Hello Class I hope that everyone has had an exceptionally great March Break.
Tomorrow we will fully begin our PLANT UNIT. This is what we will be covering in the next 2 weeks. There is no handout book for this unit so it is imperative for you to do the textbook readings.

Here is the break down of our PLANT UNIT.

Lesson

Topic Homework T/B Readings Assigned Work

1 Plant Classification and
Monocots vs Dicots-Activity 526 in T/B p.531-540
T/B p.530 #2,4 and p.534 #1-4 (This was done on the friday before march break)
Your assignment is also due.

2 Vascular systems , Leaf anatomy
and function p.540-546

3 Stem anatomy and function

4 Root anatomy and function p.538-539

5 Lab: Observing stomatal action p.554-565 Complete Lab (due in two days)

6 Plant responses to stimuli
7 Plant responses to stimuli

8 Plant Experiment-Culminating activity Study for test

9 Review Study for test

10 Plant Unit Test