Question

Leaves of a healthy potted plant were coated with Vaseline . Will this plant remain healthy for long ? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer 1

Stomata are the pores through which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged during photosynthesis. Water evaporates from the stomata by transpiration. This action pulls more water up through the xylem. The vaseline plugged into the openings and the leaf will not able to receive the necessary carbon dioxide gas or eliminate excess oxygen gas, and so wouldn't be able to survive for a long time, and would eventually die.

Answer 2

There are small openings present on the surface of a leaf called stomata. These mouth like openings exchange gases between plant and the environment.  

If we put Vaseline on the surface of a leaf, it will clog these openings and halt the gaseous exchange in plants. If the plant will not be able to respire, it will die eventually.