In the Carnation color-change experiment, which statement best describes nutrient absorption?

• A. Observing the color change in a white carnation placed in blue water illustrates nutrient absorption.
• B. Nutrient absorption occurs only in roots of a plant.
• C. Color changes in flowers are unrelated to nutrients.
• D. Blue water speeds up photosynthesis in petals.

Answer: (A)

Color change in the carnations shows how water and dissolved nutrients are taken up and moved through the plant. When a white carnation sits in blue water, the dye travels from the roots up through the stem via the xylem and reaches the petals, coloring them blue. This visible shift reveals that absorbed substances don’t just stay in the roots—they are distributed to distant tissues, including the petals. The key idea is that the plant’s vascular system transports water and solutes from the growth medium to various parts of the plant, which is what the color change demonstrates. It’s not about photosynthesis in the petals, and it doesn’t support the notion that absorption happens only in roots—the experiment actually shows how absorbed substances reach above-ground tissues.