non-inertial: plants

["Rauber, Joel Phys" <RAUBERJ@mg.sdstate.edu>]

Marlow wrote in reply to the brave jumping in of lew Haddad:

> I would imagine the plants are doing pretty much the same thing they do
> at the Earth's surface  --  growing stems and leaves in the direction in
> which the electrochemical surface forces are exerted on them, and sending
> out roots in the opposite direction.


Marlow is wrong, we have done the experiment in our department!  We grew 
grass in a circular annulus aluminum pie pan. The pan was put on a rotating 
platform centered on the rotation axis of the platform, sitting on top of a 
normal table.  The lights were directly above at the ceiling.

The grass did not grow vertical towards the light. The blades were all 
tilted toward the center towards the rotation action and at  a more less 
constant angle for all the blades of grass.

This experiment is best done with fast growing grass, because you have to 
have the rotating platform running for a long period of time. It was about 3 
weeks for us to allow enough time for the grass seeds to germinate and grow 
about 1-2 cm in length.

Joel Rauber
rauberj@mg.sdstate.edu

PS

I don't understand Marlow's power company comments. I assume they are 
charging me for whatever it is that Marlow is worried about.

Exactly what is the kinetic energy of a car moving at 60 mph down the 
highway? Marlow will have tremendous trouble inside a room without windows 
measuring the kinetic energy of objects; because he will have to somehow 
figure out what is the true KE and what is the apparent KE. I don't.