Practice question · Multiple choice
Why does a nail driven into a tree trunk stay at the same height for decades?
Hints
- Ask where in a plant cell division actually occurs.
- Elongation comes from apical meristems at the tips, so material already laid down does not move upward.
Show the answer
B. Growth in length happens only at the tips, not throughout the trunk
Why
Length is added at apical meristems only. Everything already formed stays where it is, so the nail keeps its height while the trunk thickens around it, which is also why a branch never climbs the trunk.
Practise Plant Meristems and Covering Tissues
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