Transpiration: Evaporation of water from a plant

Openings of the surface of the leaf are called:

 Stomata (plural)

 Stoma (singular)

More stomata on the underside of the leaf in the lower epidermis.

Mesophyll cells: are covered with a “thin film of moisture”

 Evaporates from the cells and this “water vapor”

diffuses out of the leaf through stomata

Water (H2O): is constantly being taken from the top of the xylem vessels to supply the cells in the leaves.
This reduces the pressure at the top of the xylem vessel so that water flows up then the process is
known as “transpiration stream”.

Transpiration: is the loss of water from plant leaves by evaporation of water at the surfaces of the
mesophyll cells followed by loss of water vapor through the stomata.

Water Potential Gradient

o Water moves into a root hair, across the xylem vessels up to the leaves and then out into the air
in terms of “water potential”

o Water moves down a water potential gradient, from a high water potential to a low water
potential.

 Highest water potential: solution in the soil

 Lowest water potential: air

Question: What causes the low water potential in the leaves?

Answer: It is caused by the loss of water vapor from the leaves by “transpiration”

Note: The “structure of a plant” is adapted to help it take up H2O and move it up through the plant.

a) Root hair cells: provide a huge surface area through which H 2O can be absorbed.

b) Hollow, narrow xylem vessels: provide an easy pathway for H 2O to flow all the way from the
roots to the very top of the plant.

c) Many “air spaces” inside the leaf: mean that there is a large surface area of wet cells from which
H2O can evaporate into the air.
 d) Stomata (open): allow water vapor to easily diffuse out of the leaf; this reduces the H 2O
potential inside the leaf which encourages more H 2O to evaporate from the surface of the
mesophyll cells

Measuring Transpiration Rates

o Potometer: Apparatus which can be used to compare the rate of transpiration in different
conditions. By recoding how fast the air/water meniscus moves along the capillary tube you can
compare how fast the plant takes up water in different conditions

Conditions that Affect Transpiration Rates

a) Temperature: transpiration increases as temperature increases

b) Humidity: The higher the humidity, the less H 2O will evaporate from the leaves. This is because
there is not much of a diffusion gradient for the H 2O between the air spaces inside the leaf and
the wet air outside it. Transpiration decrease as humidity increases

c) Wind Speed: Transpiration increases as the wind speed increases

d) Light Intensity: Plant may open its stomata to supply plenty of CO 2 for photosynthesis

e) Water Supply: If H2O is in short supply, the plant will close its stomata. It will cut down the rate
of transpiration. Transpiration decreases when water supply decreases below a certain level.

Question: Why is transpiration useful?

Answer: It keeps water moving up the xylem vessels and evaporation helps cool the leaves. If the leaves
lose too much water, the roots may not be able to take up enough to replace it. If so happens, the plants
“wilt” because the cell lose H2O by osmosis and become “flaccid”.