Introduction to Transport in Plants Plants may grow hundreds of feet tall and numerous feet wide. Due to this, the transport of food, water and minerals in plants must be efficient. To aid in efficiency, plants have developed vascular tissues know as the xylem (pronounced Zy- lem) and the phloem (pronounced flow- em). -The xylem…
Tag: Transport in Plants
Transport of Water and Minerals
Transport of Water and Minerals Root hairs are out-growths of the epidermal layer (outermost layer) of the roots. The cells of the root hairs have a semi-permeable membrane which allows water to enter through osmosis. If you can recall, osmosis is the movement of particles (usually water) from a higher concentration to a lower concentration…
Transpiration
Transpiration Transpiration is the loss of water from parts of the plant above the ground due to evaporation. This process is the equivalent to sweating in animals. Hence, it helps to cool down the plant. Transpiration takes place primarily through the stomata (pore on the underside of leaves). The rate of transpiration is affected by…
Factors Affecting Transpiration
Factors Affecting Transpiration Light intensity Light intensity stimulates stomata opening. This is because an increase in light intensity results in an increase of rate of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis requires gaseous exchange and the stomata is the pore in which gaseous exchange takes place. Therefore an increase in photosynthesis results in an increase in stomata opening (increased…