ASHISH’S BIOLOGY CLASSES

Board Questions Solutions: Absorption by Roots

Q.1 Differentiate between the following pairs on the basis of what is mentioned within bracket.
i) Turgor Pressure is the pressure of the cell contents on the cell wall when it is in a turgid state
Wall Pressure is the pressure exerted by the cell wall on the cell contents when it is in a turgid
state.
ii) Osmosis helps the roots of the plants absorb water
Active transport helps the roots to absorb minerals
iii) Hypertonic: Plasmolysed
Hypotonic: Turgid

Q.2 Give biological reasons why:

i) Wooden doors are made of cellulose which it hydrophilic. During rainy season when the
moisture content is high the cellulose absorbs water by surface attraction without forming a
solution due to imbibition and increases in size.

ii) Water acts as a hypotonic solution. It enters the cells of the potato by endosmosis which
increases the size of the cells. The incoming water exerts a turgor pressure making them turgid
or firm.

iii) Excess fertilisers act as a hypertonic solution. They draw water outside the cells of the root by
exosmosis leading to plasmolysis.

iv) Tap water is hypotonic and enters the body of the fish by endosmosis. As turgor pressure
increases more than the wall pressure the fish bursts.

v) Excess fertilisers act as a hypertonic solution. They draw water outside the cells of the root by
exosmosis leading to plasmolysis.

vi) Salt act as a hypertonic solution. They draw water outside the cells of the grass by exosmosis
leading to plasmolysis.

vii) Water acts as a hypotonic solution. It enters the cells of the lettuce by endosmosis. The incoming
water exerts a turgor pressure making them turgid or firm.

Q.3 Name the following:

i) Imbibition
ii) Semipermeable
iii) Diffusion
iv) Hypertonic
v) Turgor pressure
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 vi) Endosmosis
vii) Xylem
viii) Phloem
ix) Xylem
x) Root pressure

Q.4 Briefly explain the terms:

i) Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a region of its higher concentration to a
region of its lower concentration across a semipermeable membrane.

ii) Diffusion is the movement of molecules (solute, solvent, liquids, gases) from a region of its
higher concentration to its lower concentration when kept in direct physical contact.

iii) A hypotonic solution is one which the solute concentration is less than cell sap or another
solution

Q.5 Choose the correct alternative

i) c) hypertonic solution
ii) a) Endosmosis

Q.6 Find the odd term and state the category to which others belong
Odd term: Guttation
Category of rest: Contribute to ascent of sap

Q.7 Rewrite the correct terms in the correct order so, as to be in a logical sequence.
i) Soil water, root hair, cortex, endodermis, xylem
ii) Water, root hair, cortical cells, xylem, Veins

Q.8 The following paragraph is related to absorption of water from the soil. Copy and complete the
following paragraph by selecting the correct word from those given in the box. You may use the
term only once:
1: Endosmosis 2: Hypotonic 3: Hypertonic
4: Cortical 5: Osmosis

Q.9 A candidate in order to study the process of osmosis has taken 3 potato cubes and put them in 3
different beakers containing 3 different solutions. After 24 hours, in the first beaker the potato cube
increased in size, in the second beaker the potato cube decreased in size and in the third
beaker there was no change in the size of the potato cube.

i) a: Hypotonic, b: Hypertonic, c: Isotonic

ii) The solution in the potato cell is isotonic to that in the beaker hence no osmosis takes place.
iii) Hypertonic cell sap
iv) Cell wall is freely permeable and cell membrane is semipermeable

Q.10 Given alongside is the diagram of a cell as seen under the microscope after been placed
in a solution:
i) Plasmolysed
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 ii) Hypertonic
iii) Plant cell
Cell wall and plastids present
iv) Place in a hypotonic solution or pure water

Q.11 The diagram alongside represents a layer of epidermal cells showing a fully grown root hair.
Study the diagram and answer the questions that follow:
i) A: Cell membrane B: Cell wall C: Cytoplasm/Vacuole/Cell sap
ii) Endosmosis
Inward movement of water molecules in a cell when placed in a hypotonic solution.
iii) A: Semipermeable B: Freely permeable
iv)

v) To prepare own food by photosynthesis where it is a raw material

To transport substances in the dissolved form in solution.
vi) Hypertonic

Q.12 Given alongside is the diagram of an apparatus set-up to study a very important physiological
process:
i) Osmosis
ii) Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a region of its higher concentration to a
region of its lower concentration across a semipermeable membrane.
iii) Rise in the level of the solution in the thistle funnel
iv) Hypertonic
v) Cell sap of the root hair
vi) Salt act as a hypertonic solution. If microbial growth occurs it draws water outside the
cells of the microbe by exosmosis leading to plasmolysis.

Q.13 Given below are diagrams of plant cells as seen under the microscope after having been
placed in two placed in two different solutions:
i) Condition in A: Turgidity/Deplasmolysed
Condition in B: Flaccidity/Plasmolysed
ii) a) Water
b) Strong sugar solution

iii) a) Soil is hypotonic and contains sufficient water

b) Soil is hypertonic or contains excess fertilisers
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 iv) Root pressure
Due to continued inward movement of water by cell to cell osmosis.

Q.14 The diagram given below represents a plant cell after being placed in a strong sugar solution.
Study the diagram and answer the questions that follow:
i) Plasmolysed
ii) Cell membrane
iii) 1: Cell wall 2: Hypertonic solution
3: Cell membrane 4: Nucleus
iv) Place in a hypotonic solution or pure water
Deplasmolysis.
v) Presence of cell wall and plastids

Q.15 The figure given below is a diagrammatic representation of a part of the cross section of the
root in the root hair zone. Study the same and then answer the questions that follow:
i) 1: Root hair, 2: Soil water, 3: Xylem vessel, 4: Cortical cells
ii) Endosmosis/Osmosis
iii) Root pressure
The pressure created in the cortical cells of the root due to continued inward movement of
water through cell to cell osmosis which helps in ascent of sap.
iv) Guttation
v) Plasmolysed root hair

Q.16 Given alongside is the diagram of a cell as seen under the microscope after been placed in
a solution.
Ans: i) State Plasmolysed/Flaccid, Condition – Flaccidity
ii) Hypertonic
iii) 1 – Nucleus, 2 – Chloroplast/plastid, 3 – Vacuole, 4 – Hypertonic solution
iv) Plant Cell:
1) Presence of cell wall 2) Presence of chloroplast/plastids
v) Place it in hypotonic solution or pure water.

Q.17 Given is the diagram of an experiment just at the start. Study the diagram carefully and
answer the following questions:
i) Osmosis
ii) Fall in level of solution in Limb B
iii) Limb A
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 Cell sap of root hair is hypertonic

Q.18 The figure represents a tree in which a ring of bark was removed. After a season a swelling
appeared on the bark above the ring while the bark below shriveled up.
i) Phloem has been removed
The swelling is due to food accumulation above the girdled area
ii) The part below the girdled area does not receive food due to removal of phloem and hence
shrivels
iii) Transports food from leaves to other plant parts and storage organs in upward and
downward direction.

Q.19 The figure above is the diagrammatic representation of an experiment to demonstrate osmosis
by carrot osmoscope:
i) A: Rise in the level of solution in the cavity of the carrot
B: No change in the set up
ii) A: water in the beaker is hypotonic. Endosmosis occurs through the semipermeable raw carrot
B: On boiling the semipermeable nature is lost. Osmosis does not occur. Free movement of
molecules occur till they find a common level due to gravity.
iii) The one with a boiled carrot is the control set up.
iv) Fall in the level of solution in the cavity
Strong solution is hypertonic due to exosmosis occurs across the semipermeable membrane

Q.20 Observe the diagram and answer the questions that follow
i) Water in the beaker is hypotonic.
Endosmosis occurs across the semipermeable potato.

ii) Fall in the level of solution in the cavity

Strong solution is hypertonic due to exosmosis occurs across the semipermeable membrane

iii) Marks the level of solution in the cavity

iv) No change observed.

On boiling the semipermeable nature is lost. Osmosis does not occur. Free movement of
molecules occur till they find a common level due to gravity

Q.21 The diagram shows 2 plants with a part of their conducting tissue removed. Observe the
diagram and answer the questions that follow.

i) To show that xylem transports water and minerals in an upward direction.

ii) A: Leaves are turgid ; B: Leaves droop /Leaves are flaccid

iii) A: Xylem is intact. Water reaches the leaves and hence it is turgid.
B: Xylem is removed. No water reaches the leaves. It becomes flaccid and droops.

iv) Swelling above the girdled area. Part below the girdle shrivels.
v) Upward movement of water and minerals in the xylem.

vi) Root pressure, Capillarity, Transpirational pull, Adhesion, Cohesion.

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