Capillary action s the name of the game in this tinted test. In addition to light, plants need water to carry out photosynthesis. Since food-making occurs in the leaves, but water is taken in through the roots, plants must have the ability to transport water from the roots to the leaves. In this project, you will investigate how this movement occurs. Materials red and blue food coloring 2 glasses or clear plastic cups water several stalks of celery with leaves still attached, or several white carnations with long stems knife Procedure Place several drops of red food coloring in one glass or cup, and several drops of blue food coloring in the other.
Half fill each with water.
Carefully cut the very bottom end from each celery stalk or carnation stem. Be careful when handling the knife. Place several stalks or stems in each glass or cup. Wait several hours and observe what happens. If no difference is observed, let the glasses sit overnight.