Experiment

Plant maze

How do plants find their way to the light?

Have you ever wondered why plants always grow toward the light? In this experiment, we will build a maze for a plant and observe how it finds its way to the light. In doing so, we will discover how important light is for different plants and how they react to it.

How does it work?

Plants need light for photosynthesis. This means that plants use light and other substances to produce, among other things, sugar, which they need to grow. Plants grow toward the light, a phenomenon known as phototropism. But what happens when the light is partially blocked?

To find out, we build a maze in our experiment. The direct path to the light is blocked, so the plant has to find its way.

Time to explore

Try repeating the experiment with different maze paths or different plant species. Observe whether and how the growth of the plants differs. Record your observations so you can compare the results.

Do different plants react differently to light?