======Phototropism Plant Light Maze======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** Plant Light Maze
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====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
*Growing the plant*  
  - Fill a small container (7–10 cm high) with potting mix, leaving about 1 cm at the top.  
  - Plant 2–3 pole bean seeds about 2 cm deep.  
  - Water daily or as needed, keeping the soil moist.  
  - Place the container under grow lights or in a sunny window until sprouts reach 5–10 cm tall (3–7 days).  

*Building the maze*  
  - Tape any gaps in a shoebox so no light enters except through one hole.  
  - Cut a square hole (8–10 cm) at one short end of the shoebox for light to enter.  
  - Divide the length of the box into thirds. At the one-third mark, tape a cardboard barrier to the left side, reaching the box’s height. At the two-thirds mark, tape a second barrier on the right side. This creates a zig-zag path to the exit hole.  
  - Place the sprout at the opposite end of the hole inside the box.  
  - Close the lid and secure it with tape.  
  - Put the shoebox so that the light hole faces a sunny window.



====Links==== 
Make Your Own Fun Light Maze For Plants - We Are BLOOM!: 
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Light Mazes for Plants! - OklahomaGardening: 
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📄 Plant Light Shoebox Maze Experiment - Little Green Thumbs: [[https://www.littlegreenthumbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Plant-Light-maze.pdf]]\\


====Variations====
  * Make larger or more complex mazes to test the limits of phototropism.  
  * Try different seeds (e.g., sunflowers, peas) to compare species’ responses.  
  * Change the light source’s position (top, side, angled) to see how growth direction changes.  
  * Compare growth in a maze with plants grown in full light.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Use scissors safely when cutting the shoebox and cardboard.  
  * Handle soil and seeds with clean hands, and wash hands after gardening activities.  
  * Ensure water does not leak from the container inside the shoebox.



====Questions to Consider====
  * Will the sprout grow with minimal light?  
  * Why do plants need to move toward light in nature?  
  * What happens if the light is blocked completely?  
  * How might phototropism help plants compete with neighbors in the wild?  
  * What other environmental factors (water, nutrients, space) influence plant growth along with light?