Stomata

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/stomata

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Stoma (singular), Stomata (plural)
2. What is the global impact?Influences carbon sequestration, atmospheric composition, and hydrological cycles
3. What are stomata and why are they called tiny doors?Stomata are tiny pores on leaves, each surrounded by two guard cells that can open and close like doors. They let gases and water move in and out of the plant.
4. How do stomata help plants breathe?Stomata let carbon dioxide in so the plant can make food, and they release oxygen as a by‑product. They also let water vapor escape from the plant.

Guard Cells: Specialized epidermal cells surrounding stomatal pores, controlling aperture size through turgor changes.
Transpiration: The process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers.
Abscisic Acid (ABA): A plant hormone that plays a key role in regulating stomatal closure during water stress.
Cohesion-Tension Theory: The model explaining how water is pulled up through a plant's xylem due to the cohesive and adhesive properties of water.