How thick is a blade of grass? (BioE Spr15)
May 27, 2015 • 12:56 PM UTC
Unknown Location
140x Magnification
Unknown
brzeczek
Learn about the author...
1posts
0comments
0locations
Have you ever sat outside on the grass and wondered, “What exactly am I sitting on?” That is a difficult question to answer, as the soil is made up of billions of microorganisms that make up an entire environment that we cannot even see. The things we can see grow much larger than the microorganisms beneath them, which allow us to see them easily.
Broken up bits of soil
Root of a blade of grass But when we look at things such as a blade of grass, they are not very big. How big must things be for us to see them without a microscope? To answer this question, we must first come up with a way to measure how large an object actually is. For the purpose of this exercise, we will use individual cells as our unit of measurement. Using the foldscope, we can pick a blade of grass and measure just how thick it is in measurements of cells.
Stalk of grass. Look closely to see individual cells on the border of the piece of grass.
Stalk of grass. Look closely to see individual cells on the border of the piece of grass.
Stalk of grass. Look closely to see individual cells on the border of the piece of grass. Once we can see the blade of grass on a microscopic level, can we determine the thickness of a blade of grass? Is the blade of grass thicker in the middle, or the same thickness throughout? How can you tell? Is this information useful in understanding the micro-environment that thrives beneath the stalks of grass? Why or why not?
Sign in to commentNobody has commented yet... Share your thoughts with the author and start the discussion!
More Posts from brzeczek
No more posts from this author.