Transpiration will occur fastest in which conditions? A A cold and windy environment B A dark and cold environment C A dark and warm environment D A warm and windy environment Your answer - OCR Gateway - GCSE Biology - Question 3 - 2022 - Paper 1

To determine the conditions under which transpiration occurs fastest, we need to consider the environmental factors that affect this process.

1. Temperature: Transpiration rates increase with higher temperatures. Warm temperatures provide more energy for water to evaporate from the leaf surfaces.

2. Wind: Wind facilitates the removal of water vapor surrounding the leaf. This increases the gradient for diffusion, allowing more water to escape from the leaf, promoting faster transpiration.

3. Light: While light intensity can also affect rate of transpiration through opening of stomata, the factors of warmth and wind are more critical for increasing the rate.

From the options presented:

• A: A cold and windy environment may promote wind, but the cold temperature will slow transpiration.
• B: A dark and cold environment will result in very low transpiration rates due to lack of heat and light.
• C: A dark and warm environment lacks sufficient wind, meaning lower transpiration compared to windy conditions.
• D: A warm and windy environment combines both critical factors, leading to the highest rate of transpiration.

Thus, the correct answer is D: A warm and windy environment.