Chapter 1: Transport in plants

I Short Answer questions:

1) Define the following terms:
ans a) Semipermeable membrane:
Semi permeable membrane is a biological membrane that allows certain molecules or
ions to pass through it.
b) Osmosis:
The movement of water molecules from dilute solution to concentrated solution across
a semi-permeable membrane is known as osmosis.
c) Diffusion:
Movement of molecules – gas, liquid, or solid from higher concentration to lower
concentration is called diffusion.
d) Transpiration:
Transpiration is the loss of water in the form of water vapour from the aerial parts of a
plant.
e) Ascent of sap: The upward movement of water and minerals from the roots to the stem
and leaves is called Ascent of sap.
f) Translocation of food: The starch stored is transported as sucrose solution through
phloem upwards and downwards to all parts of the plant including the root. This is
called translocation of food.
g) Root hairs: The lateral roots bear a large number of fine outgrowths which is a long
protuberance of an epidermal cell of the root called root hairs.

2 Write two important functions of each of the following:

ans a) Xylem: Xylem is a conducting tissue, that conducts water and mineral salts from the
roots to the aerial parts of the plant.
b) Phloem: Phloem is a conducting tissue which translocates food from the leaves to the
storage organs and growing parts of the plant.
c) Root: It is the conducting system, that is present beneath the soil and helps in
absorption and distribution of water and minerals from the soil.
3 How are roots useful to the plants? Give any two points.
ans  Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil.
 They anchor the plant firmly to the ground.

4 What do xylem vessels carry?

ans  Xylem vessels carry water and mineral salts absorbed from the soil.

5 Under what conditions do a plant transpire (a) more quickly, and (b)most slowly?
a) Plant transpires more quickly during day time, during hot summer days, on windy days
ans and when air is less humid.
b) Plant transpires most slowly during night time, during cold winter days, on still and
windless days and when air is more humid.

6) Mention 2 ways in which transpiration helps the plants.

ans a) Transpiration helps the plant to cool down when the temperature is hot outside.
b) Transpiration helps in maintaining the concentration of the sap inside the plant body
7) Write 3 important uses of water in the plants
ans  The water absorbed by the plant is used for transportation, for food production
and for cooling the plant.

8) What are the three special features of root hairs which make them suitable for
absorption of water from the soil?
ans The three special features of root hairs are
i) Large surface area of root hairs
ii) Higher concentration of cell sap.
iii) Freely permeable cell wall.

9) Give reasons:
a) Transpiration is reduced if the air is humid:
Air cannot hold water if it is already laden with moisture, hence transpiration is
reduced if the air is humid.
b) Transpiration, despite resulting in loss of water from the plant, remains a crucial
process for its overall well – being:
Transpiration is essential for water transport, food transport and for cooling of the
plant hence it is a crucial process despite the water loss.

10) Distinguish between the following pairs on the basis of words indicated in the
brackets [ ].
a) Diffusion and Active transport [concentration gradient]
Diffusion Active transport
Movement of molecules – gas, liquid or Movement of molecules from lower
solid from higher concentration to lower concentration to higher concentration
concentration (i.e., down a (i.e., up a concentration gradient) using
concentration gradient) is called energy is called active transport.
diffusion

Nitrogen and Potassium [ role in plant]

b) Nitrogen Potassium
It is the major constituent of all proteins It is required by the growing tissues, it
is also needed for the opening and
closing of stomata.

Xylem and Phloem [ direction of conduction]

c) Xylem Phloem
i) Xylem conducts water and i) Phloem translocates food
mineral salts from the roots from the leaves to the
to the aerial parts of the storage organs and growing
plant. parts of the plant.

ii) Conduction is unidirectional. ii) Conduction is bidirectional.

II) Long Answer questions:
1) An experiment was set up as shown in the figure alongside. After sometime, the
water level in test tube A fell down but not in test tube B.

Why was there a fall in the water level of test tube A but not in that of test tube B?
ans  The oil was added on top of water to prevent evaporation of water from the
test tube setup. Yet the water in Test tube A reduced proving transpiration
by the plant in the tube while the water in test tube B remains unaltered.

2) Given alongside is and experimental set up. Study the figure and answer the
following questions:

a) What is the main objective of the experiment?

 The main objective of the experiment is to study about the water conducting
tissue in plants.
b) Name the tissue which is responsible for the process shown in the figure.
 Xylem tissue of the vascular bundle is responsible for the conduction of
water
c) Name two dyes which can be used in the above experiment to make a coloured
solution.
 Pink coloured Carmine dye, and Eosin dye (Red dye) can be used.

3) The set up shown alongside was kept in sunlight for an hour. It was observed that
drops of water appeared on the inside surface of the polythene bag.

a) Name the process which is being demonstrated.

 The process being demonstrated here is Transpiration.

b) Why was the pot with its soil left uncovered by the polythene bag?
 The soil was left uncovered because the water would evaporate from the soil
and might mix with the water condensed by transpiration affecting the
purpose of the experiment.

c) Why was the pot left in the sunlight?

  The pot was left in sunlight to increase the rate of transpiration.

d) Suppose that the pot in this experiment was placed inside a dark room instead of
placing it in sunlight for some time. What difference would be noticed?
 If the pot had been placed in the dark room instead of sunlight, transpiration
will not happen resulting in the absence of water droplet on the cover.

4) Briefly explain, how transpiration helps in the upward conduction of water in

plants?
 Transpiration is the loss of water from the leaves, as a result a suction force
is created in the xylem vessel. This force causes the water to be pulled up
from the xylem in the roots to the stem and then to the leaves. This pulling
force is called as transpirational pull. Hence the water is conducted up the
plant by transpirational pull.
5) How does temperature, light intensity and wind affect transpiration?
 Temperature: Transpiration is faster on hot summer days due to faster
evaporation of water.
 Light intensity: During daytime, the rate of transpiration is faster as the
stomata remains open for photosynthesis, during night time the rate of
transpiration is slower.
 Wind :Transpiration is more when the wind is blowing faster as water
vapour moves away faster from the surface of leaves.
6) Draw a magnifies view of the root hair and label all its parts neatly. From the parts
labelled by you, name the parts matching the description given below.

a) Outermost layer of the root – Cell wall.

b) Unicellular outgrowth- Root hair.
c) Part that is freely permeable – Cell wall
d) Part that is semi-permeable – Cell Membrane