To investigate transpiration in a xerophytic plant, a student measured the rate of water loss from a single leaf of Oleander. The stomata are located exclusively in pits on the lower epidermis, and the upper surface of the leaf is covered by a thick, impermeable cuticle.
The lower surface area of the leaf is 16 cm2. Over a continuous period of 150 minutes150\text{ minutes}150 minutes, the leaf lost a total mass of 72 mg of water.
Calculate the rate of water loss from the lower surface of this leaf in g m−2 hour−1\text{g}\text{ m}^{-2}\text{ hour}^{-1}g m−2 hour−1.
