Transpiration Demo Jump To

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Transpiration Demo

Activity Details
Subjects: SCIENCE

Types: CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Grade Levels: 5 - 8

Primary Topic: EARTH AND SPACE

SCIENCE

Additional Topics:
EARTH PROCESSES
EARTH SCIENCE
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
REMOTE SENSING

Time Required: 30 mins - 1 hr

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image Next Generation Science

Standards (Website)
5-ESS2-1
MS-ESS2-1
MS-ESS2-4
Overview
Keywords: CLIMATE CHANGE,
EARTH, ECOSTRESS,
Students conduct a transpiration experiment using a plant in
TRANSPIRATION, WATER CYCLE,
their schoolyard. They will set up the experiment, make a WATER, EVAPORATION,
hypothesis and observe and explain the results. EVAPOTRANSPIRATION, PLANTS,
LIFE, WEATHER AND CLIMATE,
SPACECRAFT
Materials
Healthy-looking outdoor plant with some live leaves, ideally
in the sun

2 transparent plastic bags, equal in size

2 wire twist ties

A pencil or non-living stick that has approximately the

same diameter as the plant stem you’ll be tying the bag around

Management
For the quickest and most dramatic results, do this
experiment on a sunny day.
 Locate a plant in your schoolyard that has live leaves, is
in the sun and won’t be disturbed by irrigation or
precipitation during your experiment.

Create a sign that says, “Do not disturb. Science

experiment in progress” to place near the experiment.

Background

This graphic shows the various parts of the water cycle, which is what moves
Earth's water around the planet to places where plants, animals and humans
can use it. Image credit: NOAA SciJinks | + Expand image

Transpiration, which is part of the water cycle, is the process by

which water is carried through plants’ roots to their leaves, then
changes to vapor and is released into the atmosphere.
Transpiration is difficult to observe with the naked eye because
we can’t see the internal plant processes, nor can we see the
water vapor being released from the leaves. As a result,
transpiration is often forgotten when discussing the water cycle.
However, approximately 10 to 15 percent of water vapor in our
atmosphere comes from transpiration. The rest comes from
evaporation, the process by which Earth’s surface water is lost
to the atmosphere in the form of water vapor. The sum of
surface water evaporation and plant transpiration is known as
evapotranspiration.

The transpiration process is vital to plant health. Transpiration

in plants is akin to humans exhaling water vapor when they
breathe – but it works a little differently. During transpiration,
more than 95 percent of the water entering a plant passes
through the plant and transpires – primarily through stomata,
tiny pores on the underside of leaves – and enters the
atmosphere as water vapor.
If water is scarce, such as in drought, the transpiration process
can be disrupted. Also, if the air temperature is too high, plants
close their stomata to conserve water and the transpiration
process is disrupted. The same stomata that release water to
the atmosphere through the transpiration process take in
carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the atmosphere. While the
stomata are closed, CO2 is not processed by the plant and
photosynthesis comes to a halt. When this happens, Earth’s
carbon cycle is disrupted and excess carbon in our atmosphere
isn’t processed as it would normally be by plants.

Excess carbon in our atmosphere contributes to warming

temperatures, which can then shut down even more plant
stomata, creating a vicious cycle. In a changing climate, the
resulting warmer temperatures and increased opportunities for
drought put plant health at risk. When plants are at risk, the
health of the entire Earth system is at risk.

This image shows the ECOSTRESS evaporative stress index for the
Guanacaste region of Costa Rica (in red on inset map, left) a few months after
the onset of a major Central American drought. Red indicates high plant water
stress, yellow is moderate stress and greens/blues are low stress. Light gray is
cloud cover. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | › Full image and caption

NASA’s ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer

Experiment on Space Station, or ECOSTRESS, is studying
plant health from space. ECOSTRESS uses a thermal infrared
radiometer to measure the temperature of plants. Plants
regulate their temperature by releasing water through stomata.
If they have sufficient water, they can maintain their
temperature, but if there is insufficient water, their temperatures
rise. ECOSTRESS can measure this rise in temperature.
The images acquired by ECOSTRESS are the most detailed
temperature images of Earth’s surface ever acquired from
space. These images are so accurate, they can be used to
measure the temperature of an individual farmer’s field and
thus be used to inform irrigation practices.

Data from ECOSTRESS are also used to determine the

evaporative stress index, or ESI, a leading drought indicator.
ESI describes changes in evapotranspiration over time.
Tracking ESI can provide early warning signs of drought by
indicating plant stress before the stress is visually apparent.
ESI can be used to estimate current drought conditions,
providing the opportunity for decision-makers to take action
when drought is imminent.

ESI, evapotranspiration (ET), and water use efficiency (WUE)

are measured by ECOSTRESS at 70-meter resolution every
few days. Scientists have determined that these are strong
predictors of wildfire burn severity, or damage to soils and
vegetation associated with wildfires. Their research provides
insights on how plant water stress in advance of a wildfire
predicts burn severity and can inform pre‐fire season
monitoring and fuel management.

Procedures

Discuss the water cycle and transpiration

1. After discussing the water cycle with students, ask them
what parts of the water cycle are easily observable.
Answers will vary, but most students will agree it is pretty
easy to observe precipitation and condensation. Though
evaporation isn’t directly observable, it’s easy to observe
the effects of evaporation (water in a cup “disappearing”
over time). Most students will agree that they have never
directly observed transpiration. Tell them that in this
demonstration, they will attempt to observe the effects of
transpiration.

2. Remind students that the water cycle is powered by the

Sun. Ask them how the Sun affects plants. Answers will
vary, but most students will say that the Sun helps plants
grow.

3. Ask students how the Sun helps plants grow. Less-

experienced students may describe a simple process of
plant growth. More-experienced students should mention
photosynthesis.
 4. Ask students what plants need besides sunlight to grow.
Answer: water and nutrients.

5. Ask students how plants take in water and nutrients.

Answer: through their roots and through their leaves. The
bulk of water and nutrients are taken up through the
roots, but the leaves absorb carbon dioxide, or CO2, gas,
and – under certain conditions – some water.

6. Ask students where the water and nutrients go once they

are in the plant. Most students will be able to explain that
the water and nutrients cause the plant to grow, and
produce flowers or fruit.

7. Explain that some of the water passes through the plants

and is moved into the atmosphere as water vapor. Water
vapor is invisible, so we can’t see it.

8. Explain that we will demonstrate this process of water

passing through a plant and back into the atmosphere, a
process known as transpiration, with a simple
experiment.

Set up the experiment

1. Take students outside to the pre-determined location and
show them the selected plant. Be sure to take along the
bags, twist ties, pencil and sign, but keep them hidden
from student view. Explain that transpiration is happening
right now and that the plant is giving off water vapor. Ask
students if there is any evidence of this water vapor being
given off. Answer: No.

2. Ask students how we might be able to observe the water

vapor. Various answers may be acceptable.

3. Ask students if we might be able to trap some of the

water vapor. Astute students will point out that even
trapped water vapor will still be invisible.

4. Explain that the experiment will entail attempting to trap

the water vapor and observe it. Ask students to suggest
ways to trap the water vapor, then show them the
materials. Students should be able to suggest tying the
bag around a plant stem with leaves inside.

5. Set up the experiment by placing one bag over a group of

leaves (the more the better) and using the twist tie to seal
the bag around the plant stem as well as possible.
 Place a bag around a plant or group of leaves and seal the bag
around the plant. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand
image

6. Remind students that it’s always a good idea to have a

control when performing an experiment. Ask how they
might set up a control. Show them the remaining
materials.

7. Set up the control by placing the remaining bag over the

pencil and securing it tightly with the twist-tie. Make sure
the control bag is tied off at approximately the same
place on the bag as the experiment bag.

Set up a control by placing a bag around a pencil and sealing it

around the pencil. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand
image

8. Place the control as close to the experiment bag as

possible.

9. Post the “do not disturb” sign, set a timer for 30 minutes
and return to the classroom.
 Place a "do not disturb" sign in front of your experiment. Image
credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image

Form a hypothesis
1. Ask students to make a hypothesis about what they will
see in each bag after 30 minutes.

2. Show students these visible-light images of two

houseplants, one under water stress and the other not
under water stress. Tell students that one plant is healthy
and well watered, but the other plant is stressed because
it needs water. Ask students to determine which plant is
stressed and provide reasons for their choice.

Two identical houseplants, Plant A and Plant B, are shown in

visible light. One plant was watered regularly over five days,
while the other received no water. Can you guess which one is
which? Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image

3. Explain that NASA has a mission that is studying Earth

from space and is able to determine whether plants are
stressed before they show any signs of stress to the
human eye.

4. Show students this video or this more simplified video

about how NASA’s ECOSTRESS mission functions.
Explain that ECOSTRESS uses infrared, or heat-sensing,
imagery to determine if plants are stressed.

5. Show students these infrared images of the two

houseplants. Explain that these images were captured by
 an infrared camera and can measure the difference in
plant temperature, as indicated by the different colors.

The same houseplants as above are shown in infrared light.

Now, can you guess which one was watered regularly? Image
credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image

6. Ask students to determine which plant is in need of water.

Ask them to provide reasons for their statements. If
students need help, note the temperature scales for each
image. The yellow/red/orange colors mean it’s hotter, the
purples/blues/blacks in plant B are cooler temperatures.

Two identical houseplants, Plant A and Plant B, are shown in

visible light and infrared light on Day 1 and Day 5 of the
experiment. One plant was watered regularly during the
experiment while the other received no water. While both plants
look healthy in visible light, it's clear in the infrared view that one
of the plants is under water stress on Day 5. Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image

Review the results of the experiment and make

connections
1. After 30 minutes, return outside and observe the two
bags. Ask students to describe what they see. There
should be a lot of condensation in the experimental bag
and less or no condensation in the control bag.
 Condensation has started to develop on the experimental bag.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image

2. Ask students where the water condensation came from.

Answer: In the experimental bag, the water vapor
excreted from the plant leaves was trapped and then
condensed on the bag, forming water droplets. In the
control bag, if there is any condensation, it is from
humidity in the air, which can also equally contribute to
the condensation in the experimental bag.

3. Return to the classroom and explain to students that

stomata – tiny pores on the underside of plant leaves –
open and allow water vapor to be released as part of the
process of transpiration.

4. Explain to students that the combined processes of

transpiration and evaporation are called
“evapotranspiration.” Evapotranspiration over farmland
includes evaporation from the land surface and
transpiration from plants.

5. Explain that if a plant is stressed because of heat or

drought, the stomata will close and not allow
evapotranspiration to occur, raising the temperature of
the plant. Prolonged stress can cause damage to the
plant.

6. Explain to students that ECOSTRESS is able to observe

plant and crop health by measuring evapotranspiration
from space. ECOSTRESS, by detecting
evapotranspiration rates, can identify whether a crop is
stressed before it is detectable by farmers. Farmers
could use data from ECOSTRESS to improve their
irrigation practices and thus reduce plant stress, use
water more efficiently and increase crop yield.
Assessment
Assess that students can describe the mechanism of
transpiration.

Assess that students can explain the difference between

evaporation and transpiration.

Assess that students can explain what evapotranspiration

data can tell us and why it’s important.

Extensions
Website: ECOSTRESS Mission
Video: Monitoring Plant Health from Space
Article: Growing Plants In Space
Article: NASA Gauges Plant Stress in Costa Rican
Drought
Lesson: Modeling the Water Budget

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