Untitled Quiz

Study Notes

Multicellular organisms with cell walls and chlorophyll are autotrophic, meaning they produce their own food through photosynthesis.

A fruit is the mature ovary of a flower, serving to protect seeds and aid in their dispersal via wind or animals.
Development of fruit occurs after fertilization triggers hormonal changes, transforming the ovary into a fruit structure.
If a flower is not pollinated, fruit development does not occur.

The ovary wall becomes the pericarp, which thickens to form the fruit wall during development.
Fruits can have varying textures; some dry out completely, like soybean pods, while others remain fleshy, such as grapes or peaches, which may have a stony pit.

Fruits are classified into four main categories:
- Simple Fruit: Develops from a single or fused carpel of one flower (e.g., pea, lemon, peanut).
- Aggregate Fruit: Develops from multiple separate carpels of one flower (e.g., raspberry, blackberry, strawberry).
- Multiple Fruit: Forms from many flowers that contribute multiple ovaries (e.g., pineapple, fig).
- Accessory Fruit: Develops from tissues other than the ovary, such as the fleshy receptacle in apples.

Fruits typically ripen as seeds complete their development.
Ripening of dry fruits, like soybean pods, involves aging and drying out, while fleshy fruits undergo more complex hormonal changes.
Softening of fruit pulp occurs as enzymes digest cell wall components.
Color changes from green to red, orange, or yellow during ripening, indicating maturation.
Fruits become sweeter as organic acids or starch convert to sugars, reaching concentrations of up to 20% in ripe fruits.