What is the main part of a plant's life cycle?

In summary, photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen. Plants obtain nutrients from the soil through their roots, using specialized transport proteins to absorb ions. Hormones play a crucial role in plant growth, regulating processes such as cell elongation, division, and germination. Plants can reproduce sexually through seeds or asexually through vegetative propagation. To survive in different environments, plants have adapted various characteristics such as thick, waxy leaves, deep root systems, and different leaf shapes and sizes.
  • #1
tony873004
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[SOLVED] biology question about plants

This is from an online practice quiz:

When you look at most plants you are observing the _________________ part of the life cycle.

I've tried "adult", "vegatative". The textbook only lists stuff like "seed", "cone or flower", "fruit" for stages of a plant's life cycle.

Any idea what they're looking for? Usually these are easy to pull straight out of the textbook.
 
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  • #2
I believe the answer you're looking for resides in topics on alternation of generations, referring to the dual life cycles of most plants.
 
  • #3
Thanks. The answer turned out to be sporophyte
 

Related to What is the main part of a plant's life cycle?

1. What is photosynthesis and how does it work?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen. The process occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll absorbs sunlight and converts it into energy. The energy is then used to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, and the oxygen is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct.

2. How do plants obtain nutrients from the soil?

Plants absorb nutrients from the soil through their roots. The roots have small, hair-like structures called root hairs that increase the surface area for absorption. Nutrients in the soil are in the form of ions, and the root hairs have specialized transport proteins that allow them to take up these ions and transport them to the rest of the plant for growth and development.

3. What is the role of hormones in plant growth?

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by plants that regulate various processes such as growth, development, and responses to stimuli. For example, auxins are hormones that promote cell elongation and are responsible for the growth of plant stems. Cytokinins are hormones that stimulate cell division, and gibberellins are involved in seed germination and stem elongation.

4. How do plants reproduce?

Plants can reproduce sexually through the production of seeds or asexually through vegetative propagation. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote, which develops into a new plant. Asexual reproduction, on the other hand, involves the production of new plants from vegetative parts such as stems, leaves, or roots.

5. What are some adaptations that allow plants to survive in different environments?

Plants have evolved various adaptations to survive in different environments. For example, desert plants have adapted to conserve water by having thick, waxy leaves to reduce evaporation and deep root systems to access groundwater. Plants in tropical rainforests have adapted to low light levels by having large, broad leaves to maximize sunlight absorption. Other adaptations include thorns for protection, succulent leaves for water storage, and floating leaves for buoyancy in aquatic environments.

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