Transpiration Flashcards
How does water enter the leaf?
via the xylem instem
What is transpiration?
evaporation of water and diffusion of water vapour
What is the surface of cells in a leaf covered with?
water, which evaporates from the surface of the cells
1st stage of transpiration
internal leaf spaces contain a high concentration of water vapour so it diffuses out, down a concentration gradient
2nd stage of transpiration
continuous evaporation means water potential of cell in leaf decreases so water moves via osmosis from adjacent cells
3rd stage of transpiration
water potential of these cells decrease so water passes into them too
4th stage of transpiration
this continues all the way back to the xylem, so water continuously moves out of xylem to adjacent cells
What is tension?
the term for water continuously being pulled out of the xylem
Transpiration stream meaning
movement of water into the root, up the xylem and out of the leaf
How does water travel against gravity?
-cohesion between water molecules
-adhesion between water and molecules in xylem walls
Name of process that means water can move upwards?
capillary action
What is the transpiration pull?
when water is removed from the top of the xylem vessels due to transpiration so more water moves up via capillary action
What is cohesion tension theory?
transpiration pull, cohesion and adhesion combined to pull water into roots, up the stem and out of the leaves
What is each stoma surrounded by?
2 guard cells
Function of guard cells
determine whether stoma is open or closed
When are the stomata open and why?
-under light conditions as photosynthesis is possible, so CO2 can diffuse in
When are the stomata closed and why?
-close at night to reduce water loss as there’s no light for photosynthesis
-close when the water level in soil is low (hormones sent from root), to reduce water loss
Stage 1 of how stomata open
-light conditions trigger solutes (K+) to be transferred into the guard cells, which lowers their water potential
Stage 2 of how stomata open
water moves into the guard cells by osmosis, so they become turgid
Stage 3 of how stomata open
-as water enters, the guard cells’ rings of cellulose force them to expand lengthwise
-thickened cell walls mean they expand unevenly
End result of stomata opening
guard cells develop curved shape which allows stoma to open so water vapour can diffuse out
What are the 5 factors affecting transpiration?
-light intensity
-relative humidity
-temperature
-air movement
-water in soil
How does light intensity affect transpiration?
-light causes stomata to open to allow CO2 in and water vapour out for photosynthesis
-increase light intensity, increase rate of transpiration
-rate of transpiration stops increasing when all stomata are open
How does humidity affect transpiration?
-humidity tells us concentration of water vapour as a percentage of the maximum
-large concentration gradient between inside and outside of leaf means water vapour will diffuse out faster