Does Leaf Surface Area Affect the Rate of Transpiration in a Plant?
… leaf can also increase the rate at which it transpires. Humidity The rate of transpiration increases as the difference in concentration between a substance in the plant and in the air around it increases. When the surrounding air is dry, then more water will leave the leaf faster because the concentration differences are greater. Soil Water A plant cannot continue to transpire quickly if its water loss is not made up by a replacement from the soil. When absorption of water by the roots fails to keep up with the rate of transpiration, loss of turgid occurs and the stomata close. This immediately reduces the rate of transpiration (as well as photosynthesis). If the loss of turgid extends to the rest of the leaf and stem and the plant begins to wilt. Prediction: I think that the rate of transpiration will increase in proportion to the surface area of the leaf. Hypothesis: I …
