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Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function
Freeman - Biological Science 8th Edition
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 34, Problem 8

You attached a birdfeeder to a tree 5 years ago at a position 6 feet above the ground. The tree has grown since at a rate of 1 foot per year. What is the current height of the birdfeeder?

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Step 1: Understand the problem. The tree is growing at a rate of 1 foot per year and the birdfeeder was attached 5 years ago at a height of 6 feet. We need to find the current height of the birdfeeder.
Step 2: Identify the given information. The birdfeeder was attached 5 years ago at a height of 6 feet and the tree grows at a rate of 1 foot per year.
Step 3: Use the given information to set up the equation. The current height of the birdfeeder is equal to the initial height of the birdfeeder plus the growth of the tree over the years. This can be represented as: Current height = Initial height + (Growth rate * Time).
Step 4: Substitute the given values into the equation. Current height = 6 feet + (1 foot/year * 5 years).
Step 5: Solve the equation to find the current height of the birdfeeder. Current height = 6 feet + 5 feet = 11 feet.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Tree Growth Rate

The growth rate of a tree refers to how much it increases in height over a specific period. In this scenario, the tree grows at a rate of 1 foot per year, meaning that over 5 years, it will have grown a total of 5 feet. Understanding this concept is crucial for determining how the height of the birdfeeder changes relative to the tree.
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Relative Height

Relative height is the measurement of an object's height in relation to another object. In this case, the birdfeeder's height is fixed at 6 feet above the ground, but as the tree grows, the distance from the ground to the birdfeeder remains the same. This concept helps clarify that while the tree grows, the birdfeeder's height does not change in absolute terms.
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Fixed Position

A fixed position refers to an object's location that does not change over time. The birdfeeder is attached to the tree at a height of 6 feet, which means it remains at that height regardless of the tree's growth. This concept is essential for understanding that the birdfeeder's height above the ground is determined by the tree's growth rate and the initial height at which it was installed.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Describe the general function of the shoot and the general function of the root system. Which tissues are continuous throughout these two systems?

Suggest a hypothesis to explain why the shoot and root systems of different species are so variable in size and shape.

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Explain why continuous growth enhances the phenomenon known as phenotypic plasticity.

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What does the cuticle do?

What do stomata do?

Predict how the thickness of the cuticle and the number of stomata differ in plants from wet habitats versus dry habitats.

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Identify the structure you are consuming when you eat each of the following: Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, celery, spinach, carrots, and potatoes.

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Trees can be killed by girdling—the removal of bark and vascular cambium in a ring all the way around the tree. Explain why.

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Textbook Question

Plants experience a vast array of conditions that can alter their growth and development, including temperature and availability of water, nutrients, and light. They are also exposed to pollutants such as acid rain formed largely as a result of burning fossil fuels and volcanic eruptions. Acid rain can strip minerals and nutrients from the soil and eat away the outer waxy layer of tissue that protects a plant. Acid rain is still a major environmental problem in certain regions.

How does acid rain affect plant growth?

Develop a hypothesis on the likely effects of acid rain on primary growth in trees.

Based on your hypothesis, make some predictions about the impact of acid rain on the height of tree trunks.

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