Moving Water Through the Systems Flashcards
What are the two main organ systems of a plant?
The Root System and the Shoot System
Root System Definition
An organ system in a plant, which takes in water and minerals from the soil and transports these substances to the shoot system.
Shoot System Definition
An organ system in a plant, which supports the plant, peforms photosynthesis, and transports sap.
System Definition
In biology, a group of tissues and organs that perform specific functions.
What does the Root System Consist of and what does it Constantly do?
-All roots that lie below the surface of the ground.
-Constantly growing to keep up with resource demand.
What is the responsibility of the Shoot System?
-Responsible for support, photosynthesis, and transporting water and nutrients.
What systems are Fruits and Flower considered part of?
Either the shoot system or a separate system
How are root and shoot systems connected?
By flow of water, hormones, and nutrients through vascular bundles.
What do Vascular Bundles contain?
Xylem and Phloem
What does the Xylem do?
Moves water and mineral from roots to other parts of the plant.
What does the Phloem do?
Moves sugars produced by photosynthesis.
Cells in xylem die at maturity, which means that xylem tissue does not:
Use any of the plant’s energy sources
Cells in phloem stay alive, which means that phloem tissue does:
Use some of the plant’s energy sources.
In some circumstances, plants can survive without soil, but they cannot survive without:
Water
What does insufficient water supply in the soil prevent?
Nutrient Uptake
Nutrients need to be what before they can be absorbed?
Dissolved
In what form do nutrients move up the xylem?
Sap
What does insufficient water supply in the leaves prevent?
Photosynthesis
What happens if a plant has too much water? (3 Points)
-The spaces that exist between soil molecules are meant for oxygen to aid the cellular respiration process.
-If this space is filled with water, the root cells will have an oxygen deficiency.
-To keep water moving, the root and shoot systems must work together.
How does Water Move Upward (2 Points)
-Pushed by Root Pressure
-Pulled as a result of Transpiration
Most water is pulled up from the roots as a result of what?
Transpiration
However, at night, when transpiration is low, what can account for a few metres of movement of water through the plant?
Root Pressure
How does water move via root pressure (6 points)?
- Root cells bring minerals into the xylem
- Mineral concentration in xylem increases.
- High concentration increases the chances of water diffusing into root xylem by osmosis.
- Root pressure builds in xylem vessels.
- Pressure forces fluids up the xylem.
- Water flows in.
What do the xylem tissues end in?
Leaves
What turns to water vapour between the cells in the middle of a leaf?
Water
What is some of this water used for/what does it do?
-Some is used for photosynthesis.
-Most evaporates when stomata opens.
Cohesion Definition
The ability of water’s molecules to cling to each other, holds the water column together.
Adhesion Definition
Helps water fight the force of gravity. It is the tendency of water molecules to adhere to surfaces.
How are Cohesion, Adhesion, and the Water Column related?
-Negative water potential draws water into the root.
-Cohesion and Adhesion draw water up the xylem.
-Transpiration draws water from the leaf.
What happens if the amount of water vapour is large?
Then the guard cells open the stomata so that vapour can move out of the leaves.
What happens if the amount of water vapour is small?
Then the guard cells relax and the stomata close.
How does Transpiration work (4 Points)?
- The Sun causes water to evaporate.
- Transpiration of water from leaves creates tension that pulls on the water column in the xylem.
- The water column is held together by cohesion; adhesion keeps the water column in place
- Water from the soil enters the xylem in the roots; tension in the water column extends from the leaves to the roots.
How do Nutrients move through the systems (4 Points)
-Photosynthesis produces glucose.
-Glucose is either used or combined with other molecules to make sucrose and other carbohydrates.
-At some point, the plant will require starch (which is stored in the roots).
-Because starch cannot be transported through the stem, starch is converted into sucrose so it can dissolve in water and travel through the stem as sap.
