About This Lesson
If plants need water, then why is this leaf repelling water? Turns out, in certain climates, the ability to quickly shed surface water provides a survival advantage to some plants. Plants that live in moist environments like rainforests and wetlands can develop damaging fungal and bacterial infections. That’s because many of these plant pathogens love moisture. Wet conditions can lead to mold growth, just like you might see in a forgotten bag of veggies in your fridge. In moist environments, plants that can keep their leaves dry and clean are more likely to be healthy and to reproduce.In this investigation, you will examine surface textures and conduct a “tilt test” to compare how materials with different surface textures repel or absorb water.
