Transport In Flowering Plants: Uptake And Transport Of Water And Ions
7.1 Uptake And Transport Of Water And Ions
Root Hair Cells
- Adaptations:
- Long extension → large surface area.
- Thin cell wall → short diffusion path.
- Many mitochondria → active transport of ions.
- Functions:
- Absorb water by osmosis.
- Absorb mineral ions (nitrates, magnesium) by active transport.
Pathway Of Water In A Plant
- Soil → root hair cells (osmosis).
- Root cortex cells (osmosis, diffusion).
- Xylem vessels in root.
- Transported up through stem xylem.
- Moves into mesophyll cells of leaf for photosynthesis.
Written And Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions And 11 World Records For Educate A Change O Level And IGCSE Biology Full Scale Course
Experiment
- Cut plant stem and place in coloured water.
- Stain travels up xylem → shows water pathway.
Key Points
- Water transport relies on:
- Osmosis (root hairs).
- Xylem vessels (long tubes, no cross-walls, thick lignin walls).
- Minerals transported actively into root, then into xylem.
Written And Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions And 11 World Records For Educate A Change O Level And IGCSE Biology Full Scale Course