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Unit 3 - Water Loss in Plants
Water is lost from a plant more rapidly on a hot, dry day.

Unit 3 - Water Loss in Plants

This GCSE Biology quiz is all about transpiration. Transpiration is the process by which plants transport water upwards against the pull of gravity and it is made possible by water loss due to evaporation.

The minerals that a plant needs are carried through it dissolved in water that has come from the ground. Plants have no pump like the heart that could move the water through them and so they have evolved a different method of transporting fluids - transpiration.

Leaves contain spongy and palisade cells. Water on the surface of these evaporates and leaves the leaves by diffusion. Water is then drawn out of the xylem cells within the leaves to replace water lost by this evaporation. The xylem cells form continuous tubes down to the roots and, as water is lost from the leaves, more is drawn up from the roots - rather like when you drink through a drinking straw. Transpiration is continuous and so there is a slow but continuous flow of water through the xylem tubes.

You are expected to know the factors that affect transpiration rate for the exams. Most of it is just common sense - anything that changes the speed of water loss to evaporation will affect transpiration - changes in temperature, humidity and the speed of the wind blowing over the leaves. One factor that is less obvious is light. When the light is bright, the stomata open more so that more carbon dioxide can enter the leaves to enable more photosynthesis to take place. Because the stomata are open more, more water can escape from the leaf, increasing transpiration.

There are times when plants need to conserve water in order to survive e.g. when the roots are damaged or water is short. In such situations, gardeners can remove some leaves - fewer leaves mean less transpiration and less water loss. Plants can reduce transpiration for themselves by wilting - you may have noticed this happening for yourself on hot days. Thin needle-like leaves or thick waxy coatings on fleshy leaves and stems are other adaptations to reduce transpiration in plants which live in desert conditions or places where the ground water is frozen for long periods of time.

1.
The process by which a plant loses water is called...
transportation
translocation
transduction
transpiration
It sounds like respiration but has nothing to do with the release of energy in cells
2.
The loss of water vapour from a surface is known as...
evaporation
condensation
respiration
photosynthesis
Knowing the factors that affect evaporation should help you to answer most questions about the rate of transpiration
3.
What are the tiny pores found in plant leaves?
Tubules
Holes
Paws
Stomata
They allow carbon dioxide into leaves and let oxygen and water out
4.
Which of the following are specialised cells found on either side of a stoma?
Police
Army
Guard
Sentry
Guard cells change shape and cause the stoma to open or close, depending on conditions
5.
During photosynthesis, what enters the leaves through the stomata?
Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Hydrogen
Water
Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere enters the plant and is used in photosynthesis to make sugars
6.
During transpiration, what leaves the plant through stomata?
Carbon dioxide
Water vapour
Ammonia
Glucose
Desert plants have reduced stomata or close them to avoid water loss
7.
Water is lost from a plant more rapidly on a ...
hot, dry day
cold, wet night
cold, dry day
hot, humid day
Increased temperature increases the rate of water loss. If it is humid, there is less of a concentration gradient so less water is lost
8.
Plants can increase their water uptake by having...
bigger leaves
extensive root system
smaller roots
smaller leaves
More roots provide the plant with a larger area for a greater water uptake
9.
Plants do which of the following to reduce water loss?
Keep the stomata closed
Keep the stomata open
Wilt and collapse
Flatten their leaves
Many plants close their stomata during the day when it is hot
10.
Plant roots have an enormous surface area for water absorption due to which of the following?
Roots
Root hairs
Many leaves
Stomata
Root hairs and root hair cells increase the water absorbing area of plant roots
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Transport systems plants

Author:  Donna Maria Davidson

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