Chemicals

 

            It is very easy for chemicals that are sprayed on food to become a part of our food.  This can be shown by what happens when a stalk of celery is put in a glass of water dyed red[1].   When chemicals become a part of something it is said that they are systematic.  When you eat a piece of celery that has chemicals, they become a part of you.   This could lead you to ask why farmers use chemicals on plants.  To answer that question you need to understand a little about how we stay alive.  Once you understand that you will see what can happen to plants if they get diseases.  Another problem that a farmer can have is for the crop to be eaten by insects.  What many people would like us to do is to grow our crops by organic farming and not to use chemicals at all. 

 

            Bacteria and Fungus

 

            Diseases – Black Death

 

            Insects

 

 

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[1] Ingredients: Red food dye, Celery Stalk, One to two cup size container.

After making sure the celery will stand in the container without tipping it over, fill the container with about a cup of water. Add red food dye and examine daily.  You will observe the red dye slowing travel up the stalk of celery by a process called osmosis.