Absorbing Water And Mineral Ions

Question 1

What are 4 uses of water in plants?

Answer 1

• Carrying dissolved mineral ions
• Keeping the cells rigid (so that they don’t wilt)
• Cooling the leaves through evaporation
• Photosynthesis

Question 2

What parts are there to a root hair cell?

Answer 2

Nucleus
Cytoplasm 
Vacuole
Cell wall
Cell membrane

Question 3

How are root hair cells adapted to increases the uptake of Starr and soils?

Answer 3

1) Shape- increases the surface area, to absorb more minerals and water
2) Thin cell wall- easy for water and minerals to pass through

Question 4

What are similarities between osmosis and diffusion?

Answer 4

• Both move particles down a concentration gradient (high to low)
• Both require NO energy

Question 5

What are some differences between osmosis and diffusion?

Answer 5

• Osmosis happens across a partially permeable membrane, whereas diffusion doesn’t require a membrane
• Osmosis requires solvent particles but diffusion can happen in any liquid or gas

Question 6

How does water move from the soil into the cell membrane of a root hair cell?

Answer 6

They are semi-permeable and move into the cytoplasm by osmosis.

Question 7

How does water move through the cell wall of a plant form the soil?

Answer 7

Cell walls have an open structure, so water particles move by diffusion into the centre of the root

Question 8

What happens during active transport?

Answer 8

It is moving against the concentration gradient, requiring ENERGY.
- There are more mineral ions inside the cell- they get pumped into the cell.

Question 9

What are nitrate ions required to make in plants?

Answer 9

Proteins

Question 10

Why can mineral ions not move by diffusion into root hair cells?

Answer 10

• There are more mineral ions inside the cell
• This would mean they would have to move AGAINST the concentration gradient.
• Diffusion = down a concentration gradient so active transport is required to pump ions in.

Question 11

How does the concentration gradient affect diffusion?

Answer 11

The larger the concentration gradient, the faster the rate of diffusion

Question 12

How does temperature affect diffusion?

Answer 12

Higher temperatures, give the the particles more energy, increase diffusion

Question 13

How does surface area affect diffusion?

Answer 13

Larger surface area, faster diffusion.