Answer :
Kristan's hypothesis suggests that geraniums may grow more in higher temperatures due to increased metabolic activity. The observed growth difference between her indoor and outdoor plants prompts her to investigate whether temperature variations influence geranium growth. She proposes experiments manipulating temperatures in controlled environments to test this hypothesis and gain insights into the relationship between temperature and geranium growth.
Kristan might hypothesize that geraniums grow more in higher temperatures due to increased metabolic activity, which could lead to accelerated growth compared to lower temperatures. She could suggest that the temperature variations between her indoor and outdoor environments have influenced the growth discrepancy.
In her hypothesis, Kristan is proposing a cause-and-effect relationship between temperature variations and geranium growth. Higher temperatures generally enhance metabolic processes in plants, including photosynthesis and nutrient uptake, potentially leading to increased growth rates. By noting the difference in temperature between her indoor and outdoor environments, Kristan is considering this factor as a potential explanation for the observed growth disparity.
To test this hypothesis, Kristan could conduct experiments by manipulating temperatures in controlled environments, keeping other variables constant. For example, she might expose some geraniums to consistently higher temperatures and others to lower temperatures, observing and measuring their growth over time. This experimental approach would help her draw conclusions about the impact of temperature on geranium growth and contribute to answering her initial question.
Final answer:
To understand how temperature affects geranium growth, a hypothesis about the consistency of indoor temperatures promoting more growth than fluctuating outdoor ones could be proposed. Gary's experiment, which controlled pot size and watering, focused on the effects of sunlight, while potentially overlooking other influencing variables.
Explanation:
Kristan's hypothesis to help answer the question of whether temperature variations affect how much geraniums grow might include the proposition that geraniums grown in a consistent indoor temperature will grow more than those grown outdoors where the temperature fluctuates significantly. This type of hypothesis aligns with the understanding that plants have an optimal temperature range for growth and that deviations from this range can decrease the rate of photosynthesis and, consequently, growth.
The choice of consistent environmental conditions, such as ensuring the same pot size and watering schedule, as Gary did in his experiment, eliminates variables that could impact the plant growth. This strategy allows Gary to focus on the effects of sunlight on plant growth. It is also important to consider that other factors, such as soil temperature, water loss, or pest impact, which Gary might not have controlled, can also affect the growth of plants.
