Advanced Science Primary 5 Systems

Luke removed a ring of bark from the stem of a plant, as shown in the table below. After a week, the part above the ring was swollen. What was the cause of this?

A Mineral salts were blocked from moving up.
B Water could not reach the leaves.
C Oxygen could not reach the stem.
D Food could not reach the roots.
Show Worked Solution

Worked Solution

Step 1: Removing the outer ring of bark removes the phloem (food-carrying tubes). Step 2: Food produced in the leaves travels downwards to the roots. Step 3: When blocked, food accumulates above the ring, causing it to swell.

Correct answer: Food could not reach the roots.

Want more questions like this? Superholic Lab has 10,000+ MOE-aligned questions with full worked solutions.

Start Free Trial — 7 Days Free