Long Distance Transport Of Water
Chapter Name : Transport In Plants |
Sub Topic Code : 103_11_11_03_02 |
Topic Name : Long Distance Transport Of Water |
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Sub Topic Name : Water Movement Up A Plant |
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Introduction
Movement of water in plants to its different parts takes place through root pressure for short distances and by transpiration in taller trees.
Pre-Requisites:
Mechanism of water absorption by roots.
Activity:
Observe the grass blades in a garden early morning. Try to see the collection of dew drops on their surface.
Real Life Question:
In humans, blood transports to different parts of the body through the circulatory system. But in plants there is not such circulatory system, so how do they transport water?
Key Words / FlashCards
| Key Words | Definitions (pref. in our own words) |
|---|---|
| Root pressure | Positive pressure builds up in the xylem due to the transport of water and ions in it. Moves water over short distances in the stem. |
| Guttation | Loss of water in liquid phase from blades of grass and leaves of herbaceous plants in night and when evaporation rate is low. |
| Transpiration | Loss of water by the stomata present on the leaves. Mechanism for transport of water in taller plants. |
Learning aids / Gadgets
| Gadgets | How it can be used |
|---|---|
| Soft Stem | Take a soft stem plant on a day when the atmospheric moisture is high and cut the stem horizontally near the base with a blade in the early morning. See for the water droplets oozing out of the cut stem due to the root pressure |
Real life uses :
Plants utilize only 1% of water absorbed for photosynthesis. The rest is lost through transpiration.
Places to visit :
Biology Laboratory, garden, etc
Practical examples around us
| Examples | Explainations |
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What you learn in Theory:
Transport of water absorbed by the roots to various parts of the plants.
What you learn in Practice:
How plants move water to all parts of the plant in both small plants and big trees.