Exercises
Chapter 1: Life cycles of flowering plants
1.1 Flowering and non-flowering plants
1.2 Pollination, fruits and seeds
1.3 How seeds are spread
1.4 Seed germination
1. Sarah found two plants in her garden - a rose bush and a fern. She noticed that only one produces colorful
flowers.
a) Explain THREE advantages the flowering plant has over the non-flowering plant for survival.
b) Despite not having flowers, ferns have survived for millions of years. Suggest TWO reasons why non-
flowering plants are still successful.
2. Tom says: "All plants need flowers to survive because flowers make seeds." Do you agree or disagree?
Justify your answer with examples and explain how non-flowering plants reproduce.
3. A farmer noticed his apple trees have many flowers but very few apples are forming. The trees are healthy
with plenty of water and sunlight.
a) Propose THREE possible reasons why the flowers aren't developing into fruits.
b) Design a solution for each problem you identified.
4. Two flowers are shown:
Flower A: Large, bright red petals, sweet smell, lots of nectar
Flower B: Small, green petals, no smell, no nectar, produces lots of pollen
a) Predict the pollination method for each flower and explain your reasoning.
b) Which flower would be more successful in a garden with no insects? Justify your answer.
5. Scientists want to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse on Mars where there are no insects or wind.
a) Explain why this would be a problem for fruit production.
b) Propose TWO different solutions to ensure the tomato plants produce fruits.
c) Which solution would be more reliable and why?
6. You are asked to design a seed for a new plant that must:
Spread far from the parent plant
Survive in dry conditions
Not be eaten by animals
a) Draw and label your seed design, explaining how each feature helps meet the requirements.
b) Which dispersal method would your seed use and why is it the best choice?
7. Maya found seeds from the same plant species in three locations:
Location A: 2 meters from parent plant (50 seeds)
Location B: 10 meters from parent plant (15 seeds)
Location C: 100 meters from parent plant (3 seeds)
a) Analyze this data and suggest what dispersal method this plant likely uses. Explain your reasoning.
b) Predict where most of the new plants will grow successfully and why.
c) Why is it important that not all seeds land in the same place?
8. Compare these two seed dispersal strategies:
Plant X: Produces 1000 tiny seeds dispersed by wind
Plant Y: Produces 10 large seeds dispersed by animals
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. Which would be more successful in a tropical
rainforest? Justify your answer.
9. Emma wants to investigate: "Does the temperature of water affect how quickly bean seeds germinate?"
She plans to:
Use 30 bean seeds (10 in each group)
Water Group A with cold water (5°C)
Water Group B with room temperature water (20°C)
Water Group C with warm water (35°C)
a) Identify the following variables in Emma's experiment:
i. Independent variable (what she changes)
ii. Dependent variable (what she measures)
iii. Three controlled variables (what she keeps the same)
b) Suggest why Emma uses 10 seeds in each group instead of just 1 seed.
c) What would happen to her results if she forgot to control the amount of light each group receives?
Explain.
