alleryStart learning →Besides light and water, about how many elements do plants need for all their biochemical needs?
AAbout 8
BAbout 12
CAbout 16
DAbout 20
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. About 20
1. Plants require only light, water and about 20 elements to support all their biochemical needs.
2. Those 20 elements are the essential nutrients.
3. They divide into macronutrients, needed in larger amounts, and micronutrients, needed in trace quantities.
4. About half of the essential elements are macronutrients, which fits a total near 20 rather than near 8.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 31 "Soil and Plant Nutrition", section 31.1 Nutritional Requirements of Plants_
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