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Re: non-inertial: plants



On Wed, 1 May 1996, Rauber, Joel Phys wrote:


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.

I am referring here to the example given -- a space station out in space.


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.


That is exactly what I said they would do. Where is the error??
Unless I am misreading your report, the plants put out leaves and stem in the
direction in which the aluminum support surface was pushing on them, and
roots in the opposite direction.

A. R. Marlow E-MAIL: marlow@beta.loyno.edu
Department of Physics PHONE: (504) 865 3647 (Office)
Loyola University 865 2245 (Home)
New Orleans, LA 70118 FAX: (504) 865 2453