Book 6, Question 82
Why Does Kelp Have Floats?
Kelp grows little gas-filled floats right next to its leaves, which are called blades. The floats work like life jackets, lifting the blades up toward the sunlight. Sunlight is brightest near the surface, so the floats help the kelp make food!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Kelp attaches to the seafloor with root-like grips called holdfasts.
- The holdfast holds up a stalk called a stipe, plus leaf-like blades that float upward.
- At the surface, kelp fronds form thick floating canopies that can sometimes be seen from space.
- Those floating canopies help kelp reach the sunlight it needs to grow.
- Giant kelp has been harvested in California since the early 1900s and used in products like ice cream and toothpaste.
Sources: NASA Science, NASA
Questions kids ask
Does kelp have roots?
Not real roots. It holds on to the seafloor with root-like grips called holdfasts.