Why Does the Plant Grow Towards the Window, Essay Example

Introduction

House plants that are grown in indoors will always gravitate towards the windows where there is a source of light. The plants require the sunlight in order to generate their food. This is why in woods that have a high canopy, as such allowing very little sunlight to the floor, have only limited plant species that can tolerate such conditions.  It was Charles Darwin who explained why this phenomenon occurs with house plants.  Darwin demonstrated the concept with a grass seedling and shown how it always bent towards the light.  This process being called photoprism.

Process

The concept of plants manufacturing their own source of food is called photosynthesis. The process is carried out within the leaves of the plants that have a green pigment that is termed chlorophyll.  This creates a chemical process that converts water from the soil and carbon dioxide extracted from the air into oxygen and sugar. The oxygen is expelled into the atmosphere by the plant and the sugar consumed as food.  In order for this chemical process to take place the plant requires sufficient sunlight. This is the process where the plant has to lean towards the sunlight in order for photosynthesis to take place. Without this process the plant would die as it would not be able to generate its food source.

Bending Function

The actual bending process on the stem of the plant is caused by aurins.  This is a plant substance that has a tendency to avoid the light and move away from it.  It is the aurins that accelerate the growth on the dark side of the plant. This happens at a faster rate than that on the light side. This creates the stems and leaves on the lighter side to graduate towards the sunlight. This is caused by the sunlight killing those aurins when the light falls on them and thus facilitates the bending of the rigid plant stem.  This is a simple experiment that can be conducted in any home. Place one pot plant near a window and the other in a dark corner where there is no light. After 7-10 days you will see a healthy plant near the window and a plant that is dying in the dark corner.

Useful Definitions

Photosynthesis – The process by which plants convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and oxygen using the light energy that is trapped by the chlorophylls

Photoprism – The process by which a plant gravitates towards the sunlight. As defined by the naturalist Charles Darwin.

Conclusion

Essentially all plants require a degree of sunlight in order to have the ability to create food and grow in order to survive. This is equally beneficial to humans as the chemical process creates oxygen that is expelled into the atmosphere.