Introduction: The purpose of this experiment is to find out whether the transpiration rate in plants can be increased by using light and wind. One of the major problems land plants face is avoiding water loss or desiccation (Whiting, 2011). Transpiration is the loss of water vapor through stomata (Xu et al. 1995). Transpiration occurs through the stomata of leaves and sometimes also occurs in flowers (Vodopich and R. Moore, 2011). During transpiration, water in the roots is pulled up through the plant (Xu et al. 1995). Transpiration plays three important roles in a plant. First, transpiration moves minerals through the root. It moves minerals into the xylem and sugars from photosynthesis through the phloem (Whiting, 2011). Water acts as a solvent to move these vital nutrients through the plant. Secondly, transpiration helps cool the plants. Most of the cooling effect of plants is caused by the evaporative effect of transpiration (Whiting, 2011). Finally, perspiration helps with turgor pressure. Water helps maintain turgor pressure in plant cells. Turgor is how plants manage to stay upright and rigid (Whiting, 2011). Turgor also controls guard cells, which surround the stomata and regulate water loss and carbon dioxide uptake (Whiting, 2011). Stomata are epidermal pores in the leaves of most plants. They are formed by the separation of a pair of guard cells with a pore in between (Vodopich and R. Moore, 2011). Guard cells in dicots are bean-shaped and are attached to each other at the ends (Vodopich and R. Moore, 2011). The stoma opens depending on the amount of water between the leaf surface and the air. If the plant is turgid or full of water... half of the paper... were traced on graph paper. Each of the squares on the graph paper was then counted and each square represented four mm^2. This could have easily been messed up and the surface could have turned out incorrect. Works Cited1. Raven, P. H., G. B. Johnson, K. A. Mason, J. B. Losos, S. R. Singer. 2011. Biology 9th edition. McGraw-Hill, New York. Pp 778-779.2. Vodopich, Darrell, and R. Moore. 2011. Biology Laboratory Manual. McGraw-Hill, New York. Pp 359-364.3. Whiting, David. The science of gardening, 2003-2010. Kendall Hunt Publishing House, Duburque, Iowa. Available: www.cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/141.pdf. (December 2011).4. Xu, H.L., L. Gauthier, and A. Gosselin. 1995. Photosynthetic response of greenhouse tomato plants to high electrical conductivity of solution and low soil water content. J. Amer. Hort Soc. Skiing. 123(3): 417-422.