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Testing the Strength of Plant Fibers Essay

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Title: Testing the strength of plant fibers

Objectives: To develop knowledge and understanding of the strength of plant fiber in a plant stem. To develop problem solving and experimental skills, for example, information is accurately processed, using calculations where appropriate, experimental procedures are planned, designed and evaluated properly, the use of microscopes, producing valid results and recording results. To develop techniques of measuring the size of plant fibers under microscope using stage micrometer and eyepiece graticule.
Introduction:
Pumpkin plant
Pumpkin is of the genus Cucurbita and family Cucurbitaceae . Pumpkins are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons ranging from agricultural purposes …show more content…

Internal structure of a stem Source: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/P/plant_stem.html
Mature sclerenchyma cells are dead and have thickened secondary cell walls impregnated with lignin. It is elastic. The cell cavity or lumen is very small or may disappear completely. There are two types of sclerenchyma cells. They are sclereids and fibres. Sclereid cells are irregular in shape, thick, hard, and lignified. Sclereids are commonly found in fruit and seeds. Fibres have tapering ends, thick walls and rather small lumen. Secondary cell wall impregnated with lignin are also present. Simple pits are also present. It is abundant in vascular tissue of angiosperm such as flowering plants. Sclerenchyma is important in supporting tissues in plants. Sclereids account for the hardness in seeds of the plant. Fibre plays a role in transporting water in the plants.
Xylem is located in the middle section of the of a plant stem. It can be found close with other transport tissues in plants such as phloem –which transports sugars and amino acids in the plant. In non-woody plants, xylem forms bundle with phloem in order words the vascular bundles. Xylem is thickened with deposits of lignin that provides mechanical support in plants. Protoxylem(primary xylem) can be grown into metaxylem(secondary xylem) by secondary growth in the actively dividing vascular cambium. It is found in vascular plants which is responsible

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