Thirty corn seedlings of equal size were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. At the beginning of the experiment, the plants in group I were dried and the mass was determined. The plants in group II were maintained in light for a week. The plants in group III were maintained in the dark for a week. All conditions, other than light, were the same for groups II and III. At the end of the week, the plants in groups II and III were dried and the mass was determined.

To explain the increase in mass of the light-grown plants, identify ONE inorganic source of new plant mass and connect it to the cellular process underlying the increase in mass.

To explain the decrease in mass of the dark-grown plants, identify the overall chemical reaction that is occurring in the plant cells and connect it to the cellular process underlying the decrease in mass.

To explain the increase in the mass of the light-grown plant, one inorganic source of new plant mass would be carbon from carbon dioxide. The carbon becomes fixed into the plant through a process known as photosynthesis. During this process, carbon dioxide combines with water in the presence of light to produce carbohydrates, a major component of plant mass. Oxygen is produced as a by-product. The process can be summarized by the following equation;

[tex]6CO_2 + 6H_2O + light --> C_6H_1_2O_6 + 6O_2[/tex]

To explain the decrease in mass of the dark-grown plants, the loss of mass would be due to the breakdown of carbohydrates in the body of the plant through a process known as respiration. During this process, carbohydrate is broken down to release energy for the metabolism of the plant. Carbon dioxide and water are released as by-products and the entire process can be summarized by the equation below;

[tex]C_6H_1_2O_6 + 6O_2--> 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + ATP[/tex]

jayilych4real jayilych4real · Answer 2 · 2021-11-16T21:00:08+01:00

The inorganic source of new plant mass which is connected to the cellular process underlying the increase in mass is:

Carbon from carbon dioxide

The overall chemical reaction which is occurring in the plant cells and connected to the cellular process underlying the decrease in mass is:

Breakdown of carbohydrates

According to the given question, we are asked to show how the group of plant cells which are used as part of an experiment actually increases in mass and how the decrease in mass of the dark grown plants comes about.

As a result of this, we can see that the inorganic source of new plant mass would be from carbon which is gotten from CO2 and feeds the plants with the help of chlorophyll with photosynthesis.

Furthermore, the decrease in mass of the dark grown plants would be as a result of the catalyst of the carbohydrates in the plant through respiration where carbon is the by product and energy is released.