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Photosynthesis - Corn v.1

Q.

Each Spring, farmers plant about 5-10 kg of corn per acre for commercial corn production. By the Fall, this same acre of corn will yield approximately 4-5 metric tons of dry harvested corn. Explain what process adds this huge increase in biomass and where the biomass comes from.

Audiences:

Undergraduate

Topics:

Biology,  V & C Core Concept 4: Energy and Matter Pathways and Transformations,  V & C Core Concept 5: Systems,  Diagnostic Question Cluster

Background Information

The following question is modified from BioDQC (Diagnostic Question Cluster) project.
We have used this question in introductory college biology courses.
 

Associated Publications

Examining the Impact of Question Surface Features on Students Answers to Constructed Response Questions in Biology

Michele Weston, Kevin Haudek, Luanna Prevost, John Merrill, Mark Urban-Lurain, 2014

Question Instructions

We recommend that you administer these questions as homework and preface the question with these instructions for students:

"For the following question, please respond to the best of your knowledge and using only the information in the question and what you know. Please do not refer to any outside sources (textbooks, notes, internet, etc.). Any reasonable attempt to answer the question will be awarded full credit."

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