Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,
For my project I am trying to find out if magnets affect the growth of radish seeds. A thing my science teacher told me to find out is what minerals are inside plants and if they are magnetic. I am having a hard time with that and I need help, please.

Thank You science buddies! -Rudy

hi Rudy,
Here's a website that contains all the minerals that plants need:
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/cyber/kidswr ... trient.htm


maybe you can research each mineral seperately to see which ones are magnetic because I tried researching google for plant magnetic minerals and it didn't really work so see if this way works. Hope it helped!

-Tiffany

Thanks For the website Tiffany it helped me in another way but what my teacher asked was What are the minerals [/u]in the plants but still thanks.

Hi Rudy,

If the plants need the minerals as nutrients that means that they will be taken into the plant. However, even though the mineral may go into the plant it may not keep the same properties. Organisms have developed ways to use minerals and metals but package them in a way that does not damage the inside of the organism. For example a block of iron is magnetic because of the way the iron atoms are packed together so that the electrons can move and respond to the force. But a single iron atom that is bound up in a heme pigment, like hemoglobin in red blood cells, has different proporties.

Best of luck,
Caroline