copperstream Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Do you know why does'nt water wet a lotus leaf?? Lotus leaf does'nt get wet due to outer layers of cells in epidermal layer of leaves.They contain cellulose, which get converted into cutin by the process of cutinization and form an impermeable membrane on the cell wall which is the cuticle. CUTICLE, is a layer of wax which are simple lipids containing one molecule of fatty acids esterified with one molecule of long chain alcohols instead of glycerol. These are highly insoluble in waterand chemically inert because these do not have double bonds in their hydrocarbon chains. Hence the waxes form a protective coat.It will be more on lotus leaf, which does'nt allow the leaf to get wet. It has one great advantage that it saves the leaf from the decaying effect of water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daecon Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Is it the same type of wax made by bees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperstream Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 No it is'nt. Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis. Beeswax is produced by young worker bees between 12 and 17 days old in the form of thin scales secreted by glands on the ventral surface of the abdomen. Worker bees have eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the sternites on abdominal segments 4 to 7. The size of these wax glands depends on the age of the worker and after daily flights begin these glands gradually atrophy. The new wax scales are initially glass-clear and colourless , becoming opaque after mastication by the worker bee. The wax of honeycomb is nearly white, but becomes progressively more yellow or brown by incorporation of pollen oils and propolis. The wax scales are about 3 mm across and 0.1 mm thick, and about 1100 are required to make a gram of wax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 No it is'nt. Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis. Beeswax is produced by young worker bees between 12 and 17 days old in the form of thin scales secreted by glands on the ventral surface of the abdomen. Worker bees have eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the sternites on abdominal segments 4 to 7. The size of these wax glands depends on the age of the worker and after daily flights begin these glands gradually atrophy. The new wax scales are initially glass-clear and colourless , becoming opaque after mastication by the worker bee. The wax of honeycomb is nearly white, but becomes progressively more yellow or brown by incorporation of pollen oils and propolis. The wax scales are about 3 mm across and 0.1 mm thick, and about 1100 are required to make a gram of wax. When you copy something you should really put it in quotation tags citing the source. The source The source of the original post Copying and pasting information doesn't make you clever or give you an understanding of science, applying knowledge to answer others and ones own questions however does. An interesting question however would be whether or not a non-polar molecule would be absorbed straight through it, I think that would make a basic experiment to help kids understand the concept of hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Skeptic Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 In addition, the lotus leaf is bumpy, which increases the contact angle with water (because air is also hydrophobic). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperstream Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 Iam just a kid...I just wanted to say the people something...If it's wrong forgive me....... There is a sentence in upanishad by which i did this. :::: ""You can do anything to say something true to the people "" I must'nt have done that......sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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