Have you ever wondered how those colored carnations got their hues? You can make different colored flowers that are unique from all others. All you need to do is purchase the flower you want.
What you need:
• White colored flowers (rose or carnation)
• Water
• Pair of scissors
• Food coloring
• Small cups
How you do it:
1. Pick the colors you want for your flowers.
2. Get your cups and pour water in them.
3. Drop your chosen colors into each cup or water. Just a few drops will not do. Make sure that the water becomes dark. This will give you the desired effect.
4. Get your pair of scissors and cut a centimeter off the bottom of the stem.
5. Immerse the stem into one of the cups, which you filled with colored water.
6. Wait about twenty-four hours. [Sometimes the colors appear after just a few hours. Others take at least one to two days.
*** If you want to create multicolored flowers, ask an adult to split the stem with a sharp razor. Dip the two or three divisions into different colors. This will produce a multicolored flower.
The process behind this coloring effect in flowers is called transpiration. Transpiration is a process through which a plant absorbs water through its stem. When the water reaches the flowers and leaves, it evaporates through certain openings calls stomata. During evaporation, a pressure forms. This pressure pulls in more water into the plant. It is like a tree sips through a straw. On a hot day, some trees can transpire gallons of water. Light, wind, temperature, and humidity are the factors that affect the rate at which a plant transpires.
A plant transpires faster when there is a bright light. This happens because the stomata open much wider, allowing more carbon dioxide into every leaf. Carbon dioxide is one of the ingredients in photosynthesis.
In higher temperatures, transpiration is quicker. This is brought about by faster diffusion and evaporation.
When the environment is windy, the diffusion of water vapor from the leaves is also quicker. This results in faster transpiration.
In humid conditions, transpiration is slower. Once the leaves are surrounded by moist air, the diffusion of water vapor from the leaves slows down.