tropism
Biological turning tendency
Tropism is the turning or growth of an organism in response to an external stimulus.
Plants exhibit phototropism when they grow toward light, geotropism when roots grow downward toward gravity.
The suffix -tropism appears in many scientific terms describing directional responses: heliotropism, chemotropism.
Figuratively, tropism can describe any automatic or instinctive attraction: His tropism toward controversy kept him in the headlines.
Growth response to illumination
- gravitropismPlant gravity response
- heliotropismPlant sun-tracking behavior
- auxinPlant growth hormone
- differential growthUnequal rates of enlargement
Position relative to surroundings
Visible electromagnetic radiation
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- waterClear essential liquid
- touchPerceiving through physical contact
- chemicalsManufactured or isolated substances
temperature · soil · sun · darkness · contact
Inclination toward a behavior
- inclinationDisposition toward something
- attractionPull toward something
- pullForce toward oneself
- driftGradual movement, no direction
leaning · predisposition · drawn to · gravitating · affinity · bent · proclivity
phototropism
Growth response to illumination
- gravitropismPlant gravity response
- heliotropismPlant sun-tracking behavior
- auxinPlant growth hormone
orientation
Position relative to surroundings
light
Visible electromagnetic radiation
tendency
Inclination toward a behavior
- inclinationDisposition toward something
- attractionPull toward something
- pullForce toward oneself
drift · leaning · predisposition · drawn to · gravitating · affinity · bent · proclivity
- biologycells, DNA, cell, biology, gene
- botanybotany, plants, plant biology, plant, plant anatomy
- plant biologyphotosynthesis, chloroplast, pollination, stamen, pistil
- biological responsesthermoregulation, stress response, physiological response, fight or flight, reflexes
- Virologyviral replication, viral shedding, bacteriophage, DNA virus, viral strain
- plant responsesphototropism, gravitropism, heliotropism, wilting, stress response
- Tropic of CapricornSouthern solstice latitude marker
- Tropic of CancerNorthern tropical boundary
- Tropic ThunderWar film satire