Settler

Explain how transpiration is a consequence

of gas exchange
 Module 3
Exchange and transport
9.3 Transpiration
(2 lessons)
 Starter
• A3 memory game of a labelled potometer
Learning Objectives Success Criteria
• Define the term • Define the term transpiration
transpiration (Grade D – C)

• Describe the factors that • Describe the factors that affect

effect transpiration rate transpiration rates and how a
potometer is used to measure
these
• Describe how a potometer, (Grade C –B)
with the aid of diagrams, is • Explain how practical
used to estimate investigations are used to
estimate transpiration rates
transpiration rates
(Grade B – A)
Transpiration
• Transpiration is the
loss of water vapour
from the upper parts of the
plant by evaporation.
Transpiration involves 3 processes
1) Osmosis from the xylem to mesophyll cells
2) Evaporation from the surface of the mesophyll cells
to the intercellular spaces
3) Diffusion of water vapour from the intercellular
spaces out through the stomata

•Define the term transpiration

(Grade D – C)
Why do plants need transpiration?
A transpiration pull effect is needed to
transport large volumes of water up the
stems of large plants/trees to the leaves.
Giant Redwood trees
As well as providing water for can lose 700 litres of
water per day
photosynthesis, dissolved ions, sugars and
hormones are also moved about in the
transpiration stream.

Transpiration is a bit like a straw, pulling

water up the plant. Sometimes the
pulling force will be stronger and the
plant will lose more water.
 Rate of transpiration
This is the amount of water vapour that a plant loses
from it’s leaves and stems per unit time.
It depends on several variables:
• Size of the plant
• Thickness of the waxy cuticle
• How widely space the stomata are
• Whether the stomata are open or closed.
These are all biotic factors
 Rate of transpiration
The rate of transpiration also varies depending on
the plant’s environment.
These are abiotic factors

 humidity (amount of moisture in the air)

 light intensity
 temperature
 air movement (wind).
Why does transpiration vary?
 Factors affecting transpiration
Factor How factor affects Increase in Decrease in
transpiration: transpiration transpiration
caused by: caused by:
Light Stomata open in light and close Higher light Lower light
in dark intensity intensity
Temperature Alters the kinetic energy of the Higher Lower
water molecules and the temperature temperature
relative humidity of the air
Humidity Affects the water potential Higher Lower humidity
gradient between the air humidity
spaces in the leaf and the
atmosphere
Air movement Changes the water potential More air Less air
gradient by altering the rate at movement movement
which moist air is removed
from around the leaf
 Measuring water loss
• Enclose the pot of a potted
plant in a plastic bag and put
the plant on a top-pan
balance. The mass gradually
falls as water evaporates off
the surface s of the plant.
 Measuring uptake of water
Transpiration can be measured using a potometer.
A cut plant stem is sealed into the
potometer using a rubber bung.
An air bubble is introduced
to the capillary tube.
The distance the bubble
travels shows how much
water the stem has taken up.

This gives an indirect measurement of the rate of

transpiration (i.e. it measure water uptake).
 Potometer experiment
Problem is that potometer is only an estimate
•Measures water uptake ;
•Not all water (taken up) is lost . 99% water
taken up is lost
•Some water used is used in photosynthesis /
making cells turgid
 Potometer
What is a potometer?
•A piece of apparatus used to measure the rate of transpiration
(water loss from a plant).
Why are the effects of photosynthesis and respiration usually
ignored when taking potometer readings?
•Because the volume of water involved in metabolic processes is
insignificant compared to the large volume constantly flowing
through the plant in the transpiration stream.
If you were comparing transpiration rates of several leaves, what
leaf feature should be measured to obtain a fair comparison?
•Surface area of the leaves.
 Potometer
What precautions must be followed when setting up a potometer?
•Caution should be taken when preparing holes in rubber bungs,
pushing the glass tube, the cutting and the syringe into the bung.
•It is crucial to avoid air bubbles in the assembled potometer.
•The plant stem must be cut under water to prevent airlocks
forming in the xylem.
•All fittings must be tight so that the only way the apparatus can
lose water is by the plant transpiring.
•Try to avoid getting the leaves of the shoot wet when assembling
the potometer in the sink, as this significantly slows down
subsequent transpiration.
 plenary

• Jan 10 Question 4 - homework

•Describe the factors that affect

transpiration rates and how a potometer is
used to measure these
(Grade C –B)