By therandomsci / July 14, 2020

Where does tree mass come from?


Assumption 1: Does it come from Soil?
Trees root must be taking something from the soil is it the big mass? In 1634, Jan Baptist van Helmont experimented on plants. He weighed a willow tree and weighed dry soil. He planted the tree, watered it, and then left it for 5 years. He then re-weighed the tree, which had increased in mass by over 12 stone. He dried the soil and weighed it, showing that the soil was almost the same mass.
The prevailing theory at the time was that plants grew by eating soil. Which is totally proven wrong.


Assumption 2: Does it come from water and sun energy?
Sun and water play an important role in photosynthesis. But solar energy is not matter.


Assumption 3: Does it come from oxygen?
But oxygen is a waste product for trees. They release it.


Assumption 4: Does it come from CO2?
95% of the tree is made up of CO2. Trees are largely made up of air. What interesting are we breathe out CO2 and water to lose mass and trees take CO2 and water to gain mass.


In a sense, you are becoming a tree.

References:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zpgb4wx
https://youtu.be/-PWMQR59M68

Leave A Comment