Biomass Growth Tracker¶
Specification¶
The full specification below is extracted from Chapter 3: Water Transport, Photosynthesis, and Plant Health.
Type: microsim
**sim-id:** biomass-growth-tracker<br/>
**Library:** Chart.js<br/>
**Status:** Specified
Purpose: Give students an interactive tool to enter growth measurements over time, visualize the growth curve, and calculate relative growth rate and fresh-to-dry weight ratio. Reinforces the difference between fresh and dry weight and provides practice with growth rate mathematics.
Bloom Level: Apply (L3)
Bloom Verb: Calculate — students calculate growth rates and weight ratios from entered data
Canvas layout:
- Top section (50%): Line chart (x-axis: days after transplant, y-axis: fresh weight in grams); data points appear as the student enters values
- Bottom section (50%): Data entry table and calculated results panel side by side
Input fields:
- Data table with columns: Day, Fresh Weight (g), Dry Weight (g, optional)
- "Add Row" / "Remove Row" buttons
- "Target Harvest Weight (g)" input
Calculated results (update in real time):
- Current fresh/dry weight ratio from latest row with both values
- Average daily growth rate (g/day fresh weight)
- Relative Growth Rate (if two dry weight entries are present): displayed with formula and calculated value in g/(g·day)
- Predicted harvest date based on current growth rate and target harvest weight
- Progress bar: current weight as % of target harvest weight
Interactive features:
- Hover any chart data point: shows exact day and weight values
- Toggle "Show Trend Line": adds linear regression line and R² value
- Pre-loaded example data: lettuce growth curve from transplant to 35-day harvest at ~120g fresh weight with dry weight entries at day 7 and day 35
Visual style: Green data line, teal trend line, gray grid; controls in clean right-panel layout