Functions of Roots

1 To anchor the plant in the ground

2 To take in water and minerals

3 To bring water and minerals up to the stems

(xylem)

4 To bring prepared food from the leaves to the

roots (phloem)

5 To store food.
Need of Water and Minerals
for plants
 Photosynthesis

Water is used up in the green leaves as a raw

material in the synthesis of glucose
 Transpiration

A large quantity of water gets evaporated as water

vapour during transpiration, for cooling in hot
weather, for producing a suction force, etc.
 Transportation

Transportation of substances in water solution

from the roots upward into the shoot (mineral
salts) or from leaves to other parts (sugar, etc)
 Mechanical stiffness

Water provides turgidity (fully distended

condition), which is necessary for the stiffness of
plant tissues.
 Characteristics of Roots for
Absorbing water

Root hair
increases
1
Surface
area

Large vacuole
filled with Cell
Sap. Has higher
2
conc. than
surrounding thus
draws water inside

Thin
3 permeable
cell walls
allow water
Phenomena which help in
absorption of water
 Imbibition

Imbibition is a phenomenon by which the living or

dead plant cells absorb water by surface attraction
 Diffusion

Free movement of water molecules from higher

concentration to lower during direct contact.
 Osmosis

Movement of water from region of higher

concentration to lower through semipermeable
membrane
 Active Transport

Passage of substance from lower to higher

concentration through living membrane using
energy from cell.
 Turgidity & Flaccidity

1. Turgidity - When cell accommodates maximum

amount of water.
2. Flaccidity - Cell content is shrunken.
 Osmosis

Movement of water from region of higher

concentration to lower through semipermeable
membrane
 Osmosis

Endosmosis
Endosmosis is an inward diffusion of water
through a semipermeable membrane when the
surrounding solution is less concentrated. This
tends to swell up the cell.

Exosmosis
Exosmosis is outward diffusion through a
semipermeable membrane when the
surrounding solution is more concentrated. This
tends to cause shrinkage of cell.
 Tonicity

Relative concentration of the solutions that

determine the direction and extent of diffusion is
called tonicity.
 Isotonic

Animal Plants

The relative concentration of water molecules and

the solute on either side of the cell membrane is the
same.
There was no net movement of water. (No osmosis)
 Hypotonic

Animal Plants

The solution outside the cell has a lower solute

concentration than the fluids inside the cell.
As a result, the water molecules from outside will
move into cell (endosmosis)
 Hypertonic

Animal Plants

The solution outside the cell has a higher solute

concentration than the fluid inside the cell.
Due to this the water molecule from inside the cell
moves out (exosmosis)
 What is meant by
Ascent of Sap

The upward movement of water from the root to

aerial parts of the plant body is called ascent of
sap.
 Ascent of Sap occurs in the
Tallest Trees

Trees like Sequoia sempervirens can range from

300 to 400 ft and can be of 4000 yrs old.
5 forces responsible for
Ascent of Sap
 Osmosis

Osmosis pushes water to root hairs

 Root pressure

Root pressure pushes water to stem

 Capillary Action

Capillary action results in rise up of water at base of

stem
 Adhesion-Cohesion

Adhesion cohesion makes column of water

molecules
 Transpiration

Transpiration creates transpiration pull

Overview of Ascent of Sap
Water and Mineral uptake by roots
 Entry of water by
Root Hair Cell

Higher water
concentration Lower water
concentration

● The root hair cells have low concentration of

water as compared to soil.
● Thus the water moves down the
concentration gradient and enters the root
hair cells
 Entry of Minerals by
Root Hair Cell
Cations Anions

Positively charged Negatively charged

E.g., Ca2+, H+ E.g., NO3-

Transport takes place Transport takes place

by ion exchange using by symport with H+
proton pump ions

● Minerals are taken up in ionic form by active

transport.
● Thus the energy is utilised in uptake of
minerals.
● Due to active uptake the concentration of
minerals increases in plants in comparison to
surrounding.
Fig. Movement of Minerals
 Guttation

Guard cell
Epithem

Tracheid

Structure of Hydathode

Guttation is the loss of water in the form of water

droplets from hydathodes (small pores) on the leaf
margin of a small herbaceous plant
 amrit_rj
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