Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Type your question below and then press Submit!
How can I explain to students what coconut coir is and how it proves that plants can group without soil? Can I skip this part altogether?




-------------------------------------
Leave this to help the Experts:
The activity can be viewed at: Hydroponics Made Easy

Hi -- This line in the explanation at the bottom is the key to understanding the role of the coir in the activity:

"In hydroponics, the plant grows in a medium that retains moisture but does not contain enough nutrients to sustain the plant."

Coir is the medium in this project. It may look like soil, but it doesn't feed the plant. The nutrients the plant receives come from the nutrient-rich water that's wicked up from below.

I hope this helps.

Amy
Science Buddies