Functions of Xylem & Phloem
Plants contain two types of transport vessels:
○ Xylem vessels – transport water and minerals from the roots to the
stem and leaves.
○ Phloem vessels – transport food materials (mainly sucrose and
amino acids) made by the plant from photosynthesizing leaves to
non-photosynthesizing regions in the roots and stem.
These vessels are arranged throughout the root, stem, and leaves in groups
called vascular bundles.
Root Hair Cells
Root hairs are single-celled extensions of epidermis cells in the root. They grow
between soil particles and absorb water and minerals from the soil. Water enters
the root hair cells by osmosisThis happens because soil water has a higher water
potential than the cytoplasm of the root hair cell
The root hair increases the surface area of the cells significantly. This large
surface area is important as it increases the water absorption rate by osmosis
and mineral ions by active transport.
Pathway Taken by Water
Osmosis causes water to pass into the root hair cells, through the root cortex,
and into the xylem vessels. Once the water gets into the xylem, it is carried up to
the leaves where it enters mesophyll cells
So the pathway is:
root hair cell → root cortex cells → xylem → leaf mesophyll cells
The pathway can be investigated by placing a plant into a beaker of water that
has had a stain added to it. After a few hours, you can see the celery leaves
turning the same color as the dyed water, proving that the celery is taking up
water. If a cross-section of the celery is cut, only certain areas of the stalk are
stained the color of the water, showing that the water is being carried in specific
vessels through the stem - these are the xylem vessels
Transpiration
Transpiration is defined as the loss of water vapor from plant leaves by
evaporation of water at the surfaces of the mesophyll cells followed by diffusion
of water vapor through the stomata. Water travels up xylem from the roots into
the leaves of the plant to replace the water that has been lost due to
transpiration
Xylem is adapted in many ways:
○ A substance called lignin is deposited in the cell walls which causes
the xylem cells to die
○ These cells then become hollow (as they lose all their organelles
and cytoplasm) and join end-to-end to form a continuous tube for
water and mineral ions to travel through from the roots
○ Lignin strengthens the plant to help it withstand the pressure of
the water movement
Transpiration has several functions in plants:
○ transporting mineral ions
○ providing water to keep cells turgid to support the structure of the
plant
○ giving water to leaf cells for photosynthesis
○ Keeping the leaves cool (the conversion of water into water vapor
as it leaves the cells and enters the airspace requires heat energy.
The use up of heat to convert water into water vapor helps to cool
the plant down)
The transpiration stream is the following:
Cohesions attract Water molecules to each other, creating a continuous column
of water up the plant. It moves through the xylem vessels in a continuous
transpiration stream from roots to leaves via the stem.
Transpiration produces a tension or ‘pull’ on the water in the xylem vessels by
the leaves. As cohesive forces hold water molecules together (each molecule
‘pulls’ on the one below it), water is pulled up through the plant. If the rate of
transpiration from the leaves increases, water molecules are pulled up the xylem
vessels quicker
The effect of Temperature, Wind & Speed on
transpiration rate
Environmental factors can be investigated in the following ways:
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis can be defined as the process by which plants manufacture
carbohydrates from raw materials using energy from light
Chlorophyll
The carbohydrates produced by plants during photosynthesis can be used in the
following ways:
○ Converted into starch molecules which act as an effective energy
store
○ Converted into cellulose to build cell walls
○ Glucose can be used in respiration to provide energy
○ Converted to sucrose for transport in the phloem
○ As nectar to attract insects for pollination
Minerals in Plants
Photosynthesis is the process through which plants produce carbohydrates,
essential for their growth and sustenance. However, plants also require other
biological molecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, which they must
synthesize themselves since they do not consume food. While carbohydrates
primarily consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, proteins contain additional
elements like nitrogen, and certain amino acids may contain others. Various
chemicals in plants, such as chlorophyll, contain different elements like
magnesium and nitrogen. Without a sufficient source of these elements, plants
cannot efficiently carry out photosynthesis or grow. Plants acquire these
essential elements in the form of mineral ions, which they actively absorb from
the soil through their root hair cells. The term "mineral" refers to any naturally
occurring inorganic substance.
Leaf Structure
