Discussion Questions: Photosynthesis

• Do you think that the factory is a good analogy for the process of photosynthesis in plants?
• Why did von Helmont think that plants got their nourishment from soil?
• Why did he eliminate soil as a source of nourishment and focus on water?
• What did he measure to find out if the willow plant got its nourishment from soil?
• What do you think von Helmont concluded when he measured the change in weight of the plant and the soil?