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Pill

Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence

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Direct Hit

Theme A - Unity & Diversity

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Page Facing Up

Theme B - Form & Function

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Keycap Digit One

Theme D - Continuity & Change

<ul>
	<li>Succulent fruits (think juicy peaches 🍑) need animals 🦔🐒 to help spread their seeds.</li>
	<li>But when they&#39;re young, they&#39;re like grumpy teenagers
	<ul>
		<li>Hard and acidic 🍋.</li>
		<li>Green and not-so-fragrant.</li>
		<li>Why? They want to &quot;stay under the radar&quot; until their seeds are good and ready to be dispersed.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

Typical changes during ripening

<ul>
	<li>Fruits ditch their green outfits 🟢👉🔴.</li>
	<li>Their cell walls have a &quot;spa day&quot; &ndash; they relax, making the fruit soft and squishy.</li>
	<li>Acids and starch go through a makeover and become sugar 🍬 - suddenly, the fruit is delicious!</li>
	<li>The fruit starts producing its own perfume (volatile substances), so it smells irresistible.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Ethylene = Plant superhero 🦸&zwj;♂️. Acts as a phytohormone, or a plant hormone.</li>
	<li>When seeds are set to travel, ethylene kicks into high gear:
	<ul>
		<li>Positive feedback mechanism: Ethylene says, &quot;Let&#39;s ripen!&quot; and as the fruit ripens, it makes more ethylene. It&#39;s like a snowball effect 🌨.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>Fun fact: Ethylene is like the gossipy friend of the fruit world. It&#39;s volatile, so when a fruit releases it, it drifts over to other fruits and whispers, &quot;Hey, let&#39;s all ripen together!&quot; This is super helpful for fruit farmers 🍏🍎.</li>
</ul>

Real-world Example: Ever noticed how one rotten apple spoils the bunch? That&#39;s thanks to ethylene! Similarly, if you want to ripen an avocado faster, pop it in a bag with a ripe banana &ndash; it&#39;s the ethylene from the banana giving the avocado a &quot;ripening nudge&quot;!

<ul>
	<li>As tomatoes ripen, they swap out their green pigment wardrobe for some trendy red.</li>
	<li>Modern smartphones can spy on this fashion switch! 🕵️&zwj;♂️
	<ul>
		<li>They have RGB sensors that see changes in red and green pigments.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

Mini-Experiment

<ul>
	<li>Take two greenish tomatoes 🍅🍅.</li>
	<li>Tomato Group A hangs out in a bag with a ripe banana 🍌.</li>
	<li>Tomato Group B chills alone.</li>
	<li>Guess what happens? The RGB values for Tomato Group A will show ripening much faster thanks to the banana&#39;s ethylene!</li>
</ul>

Remember: Nature has its own cool communication systems, and we have tools like smartphones to tune into their conversations. So, next time you see a fruit ripening, know there&#39;s a whole hormonal drama happening behind the scenes! 🍏🍎🍑🍌🍅

Unlocking Secrets of Fruit Ripening!

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Standard Level

Biology SL

Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence

Unlocking Secrets of Fruit Ripening!

Table of content

Intro to Fruits & Their Secrets

From "Meh" to "Yum!" – The Ripening Proces

Unlock the Full Content!

Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence

Unlocking Secrets of Fruit Ripening!

Table of content

Intro to Fruits & Their Secrets

From "Meh" to "Yum!" – The Ripening Proces

Unlock the Full Content!