Support and transport in plants

Support and transport in plants

 Revise the following:

 Plant tissues, Osmosis and Diffusion
 PLANT TISSUES:
 Relationship of basic structure and function
 PLANT ORGANS:
 Anatomy of dicotyledonous plants – Root and stem
 Cross-section of dicotyledonous leaf
 Terminology – fill in the blanks using your notes and textbook

TERM DESCRIPTION
Transpiration loss of water vapour through the aerial parts of a plant, especially through the stomata
Stomata
Diffusion Spontaneous movement of molecules in liquids and gases from an area of high to an area of
low concentration
Osmosis The movement of water molecules from an area with high water potential to an area with a
low water potential through a selectively permeable membrane.
Water potential The tendency of water molecules in a solution to diffuse into or out of a cell as a result of their
free energy
Turgor pressure
Turgidity
Xylem
Phloem
Capillarity The phenomenon where liquids spontaneously move up tubes with a small cross-section
Root pressure The upward force that develops in roots due to the continuous influx of water from the soil
Transpiration pull
Humidity
Translocation
Diffusion

The spontaneous movement of molecules of a liquid or gas from an area of

high concentration to an area of low concentration
Osmosis

The movement of water molecules from a solution of high water potential to

a solution of low water potential through a selectively permeable membrane
 EXAMPLES OF DIAGRAMS TO CONSOLIDATE AND REVISE

Internal structure of a root Internal structure of a stem

Cross section through dicotyledonous root

Root hair Consists of

Outer, protective
epidermal cells
Epidermis layer of root.
and root hairs.
Parenchym
aEndodermis
Root hairs increase
Pericycle
No Cuticle which
the absorption
makes water
Phloem surface area for
absorption easier
water and minerals.
Xylem

Functions: Protect the

internal tissues and
increases absorption
surface via root hairs
Cross section through dicotyledonous stem

Epidermis
Parenchyma
Collenchyma
Parenchyma
Endodermis
Collenchyma Endodermis
Sclerenchyma
cap
Pith

Phloem Cortex
Cambium
Xylem

Medullary ray
Cross section through dicotyledonous stem

Parenchyma:
Hairy outgrowth
Cuticle * Intercellular airspaces = gaseous exchange
Epidermis
Collenchyma
* Store water, dissolved nutrients & starch
Parenchyma
Intercellular air
space Endodermis:
Endodermis
* Store starch
Sclerenchyma
cap * Also known as starch sheath
Phloem
Cambium
Xylem
Collenchyma:
Medullary ray
* Provide support & protection
Transpiration

The loss of water

vapour through the
plant mainly through
the stomata/ aerial
parts
CROSS-SECTION THROUGH DICOTYLEDONOUS LEAF
 Cross –section of
dicotyledonous leaf: structure
is defined by specific function
of leaf, i.e Photosynthesis,
gaseous exchange and
transport
 Learners should have a sound
understanding of the different
cells, their specific structure
and link to its function
(elongation of palisade cells,
presence of chlorophyll, the
loose arrangement of
mesophyll cells – why the
intercellular airspaces, stoma+
guard cells, etc.
 Adaptations of leaves for transpiration
Thick watertight
3 cuticle
Reduces and prevents
1 excessive water loss
through the upper
Leaf size epidermis
Larger leaves will lose
more water than smaller
ones

More stomata on lower epidermis 2

(which is in the shade and not direct
sunlight) decreases transpiration
Stomata on lower epidermis
 Adaptations of leaves for transpiration
Hairs
Water vapour is trapped
4 between these epidermal
hairs that decrease the
5 Thorns
diffusion gradient
between the inside and
Leaves can be reduced to thorns
outside of the leaf
which have fewer stomata and
therefore limit transpiration

6
The region just outside the sunken stomata traps
air saturated with water vapour and decreases
Sunken
the diffusion gradient and transpiration rate stomata
External factors that influence transpiration

BE SPECIFIC
Temperature Light
• FACTOR IS RELATED TO
intensity TRANSPIRATION RATE

Humidity Wind
 ↑ Temp
Temperature

↑ Kinetic energy
↑ Temperature outside
Water molecules
move faster

Water molecules
bump into each
other more

Water molecules
escape more
frequently through
the stomata
Wind ↑ wind

↑ Wind More water vapour is blown

away from the leaf surface

Higher concentration
gradient
↑ [water vapour]

↓ [water vapour] More water escape through

the stomata
 ↑ humidity outside of the
Humidity leaf

↑ Humidity outside ↑ water vapour

concentration outside of
the leaf

Lower concentration
gradient
Gradient

Less water escape through

the stomata
External factors that influence transpiration
 A grade 10 learner investigated the influence of different environmental conditions on the
rate of transpiration. The diagrams below illustrate the different environmental conditions.

2.2.1 Identify the environmental condition illustrated

by:

(a)Diagram A
High humidity
Diagram Water loss
(ml/min/m2)
(b)Diagram B
A 2,06
Wind B 10,36
C 10,36
(c)Diagram C
Light intensity
 A grade 10 learner investigated the influence of different environmental conditions on the
rate of transpiration. The diagrams below illustrate the different environmental conditions.

2.2.2 Identify the dependent variable in this

investigation.

Rate of transpiration

2.2.3 Identify the independent variable in this

investigation. Diagram Water loss
(ml/min/m2)
A 2,06
Environmental conditions B 10,36
C 10,36
The pathway of water through the plant
Uptake of water and mineral salts through the root:
The water potential of the soil
water is higher than the water
↑Ψ outside the root potential of the cell sap in the
vacuoles of the root hair
Water moves by Vacuole swells
osmosis into the root

↓Ψ inside the root Water molecules move by

OSMOSIS through the cell wall, cell
membrane and cytoplasm into the
vacuole of the root hair.

Vacuole swells =
TURGOR PRESSURE
Movement of water from the root hair to the xylem of the root

Xylem
Pericycle
Water moves through the
Casparian parenchyma cells in two
strips
Endodermis ways:
Epidermis

2. Through the cells with

1. Through the the cell walls and

Cortex
cells with intercellular airspaces
osmosis through diffusion
2.
1.

* Main
process Faster
* Slower
Movement of water from the root hair to the xylem of the root

Endodermis

Xylem

Pericycle
Water cannot Water moves Water moves Water reach
Water reach the
move through the through passage through the the xylem of
casparian strips
cell wall cells of endodermis pericycle the root
The pathway of water through the plant

Sugar to to
Sugars
phloem
phloem

Movement of water
through the xylem of Movement of water out
Water
the stem to the leaf of the stomata through
Leaf
Leaf transpiration
Xylem
Xylem

Stem
Stem
Guard cell
O2
Oxygen Stomata
CO
Carbon
2 of stomata
Root
Root dioxide
Watervapour
Water
vapour
Water
Roothair
Root

Water hair
Water
movement
Movement of water through the xylem of the stem to the leaf

Three forces involved in the

upwards movement of
water

Root pressure Transpiration pull Capillarity

 Transpiration pull
(main force)

A suction force develops at the top of the

stem and water is pulled upwards from the
xylem of the root

Water moves upwards in the stem as a

continuous column

Water that is lost through transpiration in

the leaves, is replaced by the absorbed
water from the soil through the root hair
 Transpiration pull
(main force)

•The water potential in the intercellular

airspaces of the mesophyll cells
decrease as water is lost through the
stomata

Xylem

•This causes water to move with the

water potential gradient from mesophyll
cell to mesophyll cell

Water molecules diffuse through the cell

walls from mesophyll cell to inside the
intercellular airspaces
Transpiration
 Root pressure

Force that develops in roots due to

the continuous osmosis of water in
the root

Water is forced to move up the stem

against gravity
 Capillarity
Xylem cell
The phenomenon where water spontaneously wall
moves upwards in tubes that is narrow in cross Adhesion
section like xylem vessels and tracheids
Cohesion
This is maintained through two sub-forces:
adhesion and cohesion:
Xylem cell
a) Adhesion forces – water molecule is
attracted to the walls of the xylem Water molecule
vessels
Glass tubes with
b) Cohesion forces – water molecules is different widths
attracted to each other

Water molecules are enabled to “crawl

upwards” against the xylem vessels
through these two forces
Practical investigation

AIM: to determine if water is transported through the xylem of a plant.

Translocation

• The movement of substances

e.g. sugars (sucrose) that are
produced in the leaves during
photosynthesis to other part of
the plant.
• These substances are
transported by the phloem
from the leaves to the stems
and the roots.
QUESTIONS
Instructional verbs

Instructional verb Meaning

Name Give the name of something
Differentiate Use differences to qualify between two or
more categories
Tabulate Draw a table and indicate the answers as
direct pairs.
Describe State in sentences the main points of a
process
Explain Give your answer in a cause-effect or
statement and reason sequence
Compare Give similarities and differences between
concepts
The diagram below represents the pathway of water through the root.

2.1.1 Give the LETTER of the part which represents the

endodermis. (1)
C

2.1.2 Name THREE forces responsible for the upward

movement of water through the tissue labelled D. (3)

Capillarity, Root pressure Transpiration pull.

2.1.3 Name TWO structural adaptations of the root hair

for the function of water absorption. (2)

Finger-like protrusions of the epidermis

Thin cell wall and cell membrane
Large vacuole
The diagram below represents the pathway of water through the root.

2.1.4 Give the LETTER in the diagram where the water

potential will be the highest, if it has rained recently? (1)

2.1.5 Give THREE structural adaptations of the tissue

labelled D. (1)

2.1.4 At Y

2.1.5 Vessels and tracheids are dead elongated cells

Cell walls strengthened with lignin/thick cell walls
Cell walls are perforated/many pits
 An investigation was carried out to study the effect of light intensity on the rate of water loss through
the leaves of a plant.
Apparatus X (shown in the diagram below) was used to measure the rate of water loss from the leaves
at several light intensities. At each light intensity, the apparatus was left for 15 minutes before starting
measurements.
The water loss was recorded in the dark and at four different light intensities.
1. State the dependent variable in the
above investigation. (1)
Results of investigation
2. Predict what would be the effect on the
results if the investigation was carried out at
a lower temperature. (1)

3. State ONE way in which the reliability of

the results obtained at each light intensity
could have been improved. (1)

1. Rate of water loss

2. Slower rate of water loss
3. Repeat the investigation several times at each light
intensity
The graphs below show the transpiration rates under different environmental conditions.

1. Describe the relationship between the

temperature and transpiration rate in
GRAPH A. (4)

2. Explain the shape of the graph at point

X in GRAPH B. (3)

1. As temperature increases transpiration

rate increases  and when it reaches an
optimal temperature, transpiration rate
stays the same

2.
• Humidity is very high (lots of water
vapour in the air) 
• Water potential gradient between inside
of leaf stomata and atmosphere is very
low
• Transpiration rate decreases  /greatly
decreased to the minimal level
Study the following diagram and answer the questions that follow.

1. Identify cell A and cell B. (2)

2. Name the tissue not shown in the diagram which will transport water to all
parts of the plant. (1)
3. Explain TWO ways in which the tissue mentioned in QUESTION 2 is
adapted for its function. (4)

1. A – root hair  / epidermal

B – cortex  /parenchyma

2. Xylem 

3. - walls thickened /lignified  to withstand pressure or force or pull 

- walls contain pits  for lateral transportation of water 
- cross walls are perforated or completely absent /elongated vessels
arranged end to end / end walls overlap one another which forms a
continuous tube to allow for continuous flow of water 
- non living  / empty and dead / large lumen to facilitate transport
of water 
- has narrow bores/small diameter  to facilitate capillarity/water
rises quickly 