Tropism Lab

Tim Day
Period 2
Biology IBSL (HL?)
Design:
Purpose: To examine the effects of tropism on plants. The purpose of this experiment
was to specifically study the effects of geotropism, also known as gravitropism, on plants
by hanging them upside down and then comparing the change in degree of growth of the
plants with a control group.
The experiment was composed of the following constants and variables:

Constant: The plants used: Passion Flower Vines

Dependent Variable: Direction the plant grows
Independent Variable: Direction the plant is initially planted (with or against
gravity)

In addition to the plants used the amount of water given to each plant and the soil with
which it is planted are controlled constants.

Materials:
1. 2 Small Flower Pots
2. 2 Passion Flower Vines
3. 2 Cups of Soil
4. Water
5. Protractor (Or anything sufficient to measure the change in degrees of the plant
stem)
6. String
7. Paper (at least two sheets)
8. Tape
9. Scissors
10. Coat Hanger

Procedure:
1. Place each plant inside a pot of a cup of soil.
2. Wrap a sheet of paper around each plant, tightly. Use multiple pieces of
necessary.
3. Use as much tape as necessary to secure the paper tightly around the pots.
4. Take string and wrap it tightly around one flower pot (this will further help keep
the soil in when the plant is upside down)
5. Find a suitable place to hang the plant upside down (with gravity), a coat hanger
from a door knob can work attached to the string.
6. Place the other plant nearby on a suitable flat surface facing up (against gravity)
7. Use 12. oz of water each day to water the plants over a two week period.
8. Every other day during this two week period measure in degrees the change of
position of the stem.
 • The function of the paper and
string is to keep the soil and
plant fighting gravity, as
opposed to falling victim to
gravity (IE falling to the
floor)
• 0 Degrees is the center of the
pot, all measurements are
relative to this spot.
• Numbers in diagram are only
approximate, they're all
relative to 0, not to the vine
(90 degrees is not above the
plant)
• In the control plant 0 degrees
also switches to the north

Data Collection and Processing:

Quantitative Data (Measured every two days for a total of 7 times):

Experimental Plant (With Gravity Pot):

Period (Every 2 Days) Change In Degrees (From 0)

1 0
2 43
3 84
4 110
5 126
6 131
7 138

Control Plant (Against Gravity)

Period (Every 2 Days) Change In Degrees (From 0)

1 0
2 2
3 5
4 8
5 9
6 9
7 10
 Graph of Change in Degrees (From 0) V. Period of Measure

160
140
120
100
Experiment
80
Control
60
40
20
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Qualitative Data:
• Each day the plants grew a little bit more
• Most changes noticeable in experimental group
• Really big differences were noticed on Days 4, 6 and 8 (Period 2, 3, and 4)
Plants had taken a serious turn up!
• No noticeable difference in the health of the plants over the two weeks

Calculations:
For the sake of proper comparison of the data, we must compare the change in
degrees between each period.

Experimental Plant (With Gravity Pot):

Period (Every 2 Days) Change In Degrees (From

Previous Period)
1 N/A
2 43
3 41
4 46
5 16
6 5
7 7
Control Plant (Against Gravity)

Period (Every 2 Days) Change In Degrees (From

Previous Period)
1 N/A
2 2
3 3
4 3
5 1
6 0
7 1

Graph of Experimental Change In Degrees (From Previous Period) V. Period of Measure

50

40

30
Experiment
20 Control

10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Conclusion:
It is immediately apparent, not just from the data, but just by looking at the

procedure itself what vital factor limits the result. The light source. This was woefully

uncontrolled during the experiment. As a result we can't be entirely sure of the result.

Yet this does not exclude all value of the experiment. The purpose was to examine

tropism, specifically geotropism, and in the end that was still achieved. The light source

is not specifically geotropism-that's phototropism.

The crudeness of the entire procedure, if nothing else, actually exemplified

tropism. The bottom line is that the plant still grew against gravity. Both showed how
plants tend to do that. Yet plants also grow towards a light source. And this is

unavoidable but is still of note.

In the experimental group (against gravity) the plants had an extreme change in

degrees. This is evidence that the plants were attempting to grow against gravity, as in

the control pot. In the control group there was very little change in the degrees. The little

that there was could be attributed to phototropism. At its highest point the experimental

group experienced a change of 46 degrees as opposed to 3 degrees in the control.

There were several limitations to this lab. Again, the most notable is the fact that

phototropism exists. And part of the degree change would be attributed to the plant

attempting to grow towards light. It grew towards light though against gravity.

Another limitation was that there was no real way to measure the growth of the roots.

The roots experience gravitropism in the other direction of the stem (it grows with

gravity). This data would have helped provide context for multiple parts of geotropism.

But in the end, it is all inconsequential. Geotropism clearly has a huge effect on

the direction the plant grows. Neither plant showed a huge difference in health, they both

were about the same. They grew the same direction, undeniable evidence of geotropism.