1. A twig with leaves is placed in the top of an open tube that contains water above mercury.
a. Atmospheric pressure alone is sufficient to raise mercury only 76 cm (76 cm mercury = 10.5 m water). What is atmospheric pressure, and of what significance is this finding for a tree that is 120 m high?
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b. Why does the mercury rise higher than 76 cm when a twig with leaves is placed in the top of the tube?
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c. What does the experiment suggest about the ability of transpiration to raise water to the top of tall trees?
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2. Scientists wish to produce a strain of corn that is resistant to a particular pesticide.
a. Why would they choose to genetically engineer a diploid corn cell instead of an egg or sperm?
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b. How would they acquire diploid corn cells?
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c. How would they acquire adult plants from the genetically engineered corn cells?
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d. If they want to sell genetically altered corn seeds from these plants, how would they acquire seeds?
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