TED-ED: How plants tell time - Dasha Savage

The video explores how plants and other organisms sense time through circadian rhythms. It begins with Linnaeus's concept of a flower clock, highlighting how plants like morning glories and moon flowers bloom at specific times. The video explains circadian rhythms as internal clocks that help organisms adapt to environmental changes. In plants, phytochromes detect light and temperature, triggering molecular reactions for photosynthesis and growth. These rhythms also guide daily and seasonal activities, allowing plants to adapt to their environment and maintain their schedules.

Who designed the concept of the flower clock, which uses plants to tell time?

• Carolus Linnaeus

• Charles Darwin

• Gregor Mendel

• Isaac Newton

What are circadian rhythms primarily responsible for in living organisms?

• Facilitating nutrient absorption

• Controlling genetic mutations

• Tracking time and adapting to environmental cues

• Regulating water intake

What role do phytochromes play in plants?

• They produce chlorophyll

• They repel insects

• They detect light and initiate chemical reactions

• They help in water absorption

How do plants prepare for photosynthesis before sunrise?

• By shedding leaves

• By storing excess water

• By creating mRNA templates for photosynthesizing machinery

• By closing their stomata

What triggers plants to produce blooming flowers in spring?

• Increased rainfall

• Decreased wind speed

• Longer days and increasing light

• Higher soil nutrients