2006-07-17 10:38:09 · 15 answers · asked by jack w 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
They are not all round. Some are square.Laminaceae Family or Verbena for that matter ,your hemp, etc etc ..it depends on internal pressures within the plant which would make them square..studying a picture book might even show you these details and the reasons why. All plants aren't just green either.
2006-07-17 20:06:40 · answer #1 · answered by kit walker 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You know how when you blow a bubble with the bubble wand and no matter what the shape of the wand is, whether it was triangular or a square, it always ended up a sphere. Well, it is the same concept. Plants have liquids within the stems, which, if you recall from eighth grade physical science, has pressure, and the liquid pressure in the stem needs to have equal pressure. If you have a stem with sides like an octagon or a square, the corners of the shape will have more pressure distributed there than the sides. So, plant stems' roundness has about the same principle as a bubble.
2006-07-17 17:46:10 · answer #2 · answered by emoangel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally speaking most vessels are round because it's the best way to use up space and keep the internal pressure down and evenly distributed (hence soap bubbles are spherical and hoses become round when inflated). However, some plant stems aren't round due to other structural reasons.
2006-07-17 19:09:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All plant stems are not round. Some are four sided, some are three sided. Mint is usually square stemed. Plant family Labiaceae is most often four sided and square stem.
2006-07-17 17:44:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I recently saw some square bamboo. Very interesting.
I would speculate that a lot of plants tend to have round stems because it minimizes surface area. It might be easier for a plant to prevent moisture loss, for example.
2006-07-17 17:50:55 · answer #5 · answered by foofoo19472 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most plants use peristalsis to force/urge liquids and nutrients from their roots and stems to the top of the plant. Nature is rarely wasteful and round "arteries" are the most efficient shape - which is why many plants are rounded.
2006-07-17 17:45:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get out a magnifying glass and take a good look at a variety of stems and you will learn that all are not round.
2006-07-18 15:31:28 · answer #7 · answered by Goldenrain 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They all are not. Some are square. Plants in the mint family have square stems
2006-07-17 22:59:20 · answer #8 · answered by leftygirl_75 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not all plant stems are round.
Look at mint and Sedge genera for examples.
Water is NOT moved by peristalsis! Paristalsis is the movement of things by MUSCLES, plants do not have muscles!
If one is going to answer, one should know what they are talking about!
2006-07-19 16:18:18 · answer #9 · answered by KLU 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They aren't. Plant stems can have 4 sides (example: Lamiaceae -mint family) or 3 sides (Sedges)
2006-07-19 10:17:27 · answer #10 · answered by guitar4peace 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋