Unit 1 - Lesson 10: Plant Roots

Question 1

What are the 4 main roles of roots?

Answer 1

1. Anchor the plant firmly in the soil
2. Absorb water and dissolved minerals from the soil
3. Some plants have roots that work as storage for extra food (e.g carrots)
4. Roots can reproduce some plants (hops, dahlias, etc.)

Question 2

What is the process that is responsible for the movement of water molecules from soil to root hair cell?

Answer 2

Osmosis

Question 3

What type of cells are the root hair cells?

Answer 3

Epidermal cells

Question 4

List all the parts of roots involved in the transport of water

Answer 4

Epidermis, cortex, endodermis (with casparian strip), xylem and root hairs

Question 5

Describe a taproot.

Answer 5

A thick root with smaller branching roots. Some use taproots to store food (carrots), others grow deeper into the soil (dandelions), allowing the plant to access water sources far below ground level.

Question 6

Describe a fibrous root.

Answer 6

Many smaller branching roots that are all about the same size and branch off from a central point. They don’t normally grow as deep into the soil. Includes grasses, onions, scallions, bamboo, etc.

Question 7

Are taproots monocots or dicots?

Answer 7

Dicots

Question 8

Are fibrous roots monocots or dicots?

Answer 8

Monocots

Question 9

How is the vascular tissue arranged in the roots of monocots?

Answer 9

Xylem in a ring around the pith, phloem surround the ring of xylem cells

Question 10

How is the vascular tissue arranged in the roots of dicots?

Answer 10

Xylem cells form a star/x shape, phloem cells are between the arms of the star/x shape made by the xylem

Question 11

What happens in the zone of maturation?

Answer 11

The top of the root diagram, where cells have reached full growth and ,autre into specialized cells to complete functions for the plant.

Question 12

What happens in the zone of elongation?

Answer 12

No new cells are produced but existing cells elongate, pushing the root tip deeper into the soil.

Question 13

What happens in the zone of growth?

Answer 13

The area where cell division happens the fastest, providing new cells which result in the growth of the root

Question 14

What happens in the root cap?

Answer 14

Made up of tough walled cells that cover the tip of growing zone, protecting the delicate young cells as the tip pushes through coarse soil