Problem 16

Background and context

Plants require certain amount of moisture, correct temperature, and right type of soil for their healthy growth and development. Nutrients are important substances that are needed by plants to maintain their life. 

There are about 20 elements that are essential for a plant to carry out its metabolic activities. These are called essential elements as they help in completing the life cycle of a plant, they provide nutrition to plants, and they cannot be replaced by other elements.

There are two categories of essential elements: macronutrients (those that are needed by plants in large quantities) and micronutrients ( those that are needed in small amounts). Calcium, oxygen, carbon, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen are examples of macronutrients.