Water Flashcards
What is the result of more free water molecules?
Compared to suite, the higher the water potential
Why is water important?
A key substance for plants both metabolism and structure
What does water provide?
Turgor (hydrostatic) pressure
What is the result of turgor?
It provides a hydrostatic skeleton to support stems and leaves
What is water vital for?
Cell expansion
How is water vital for cell expansion?
The force allows roots to push through soil and shoots to grow through concrete and tarmac
What are other uses of water?
Keep plants cool, transport and photosynthesis
How is water used to keep plants cool?
Loss of water by evaporation from the stomata in leaves
How is water used in transport?
Mineral ions and products of photosynthesis are transport in aqueous solutions
How is water used in photosynthesis?
It is one of the raw materials
What is the function of the root?
To anchor plant and provide surface for uptake of water from soil
How does the root increase SA for water uptake?
Present of root hairs just behind root tip
How are root hairs a well adapted exchange surface?
Microscopic size, large SA:V, thin SA for diffusion and osmosis, and cytoplasm solute
What is the function of the microscopic size of a root hair?
It can penetrate between soil particles
How do root hairs have a large SA?
1000s grow on root tips
What is the function of cytoplasm solute?
It maintains water potential gradient between soil, water and cell as ions can be moved into the root hair cell by active transport
How does water move into the root?
Through cytoplasm and sap in root hair cell and from soil water
What is the cytoplasm and sap in root hair cell?
Sugar, mineral ions and amino acids with low water potential