chapter 14+15 venus fly trap and plant hormones

Question 1

venus fly trap

Answer 1

1. when 2 hair is touched or 1 within 35 secs, the Ca2+ channel opens and Ca2+ flows in causing the cell membrane to depolarised and generating an action potential which spreads down the lobe of the plant to the midrib
2. acid growth @ hinge cells. H+ ions are pumped out of the cells into the cell walls causing the cross-links in the cell wall to be broken and the calcium pectate of middle lamella dissolves and the cell wall loosens
3. Ca2+ enters the hinge cells as well as water (osmosis), the cell becomes turgid
4. lobes change from convex to concave and trap shuts quickly in 0.3s, elastic tension released.