SC
stringlengths
1
129
SC
null
null
null
null
Examine some mustard seedlings which have been grown on wet filter
paper. Observe the mass of fine threads coming from the seed by hand
lens. These are roots. They have fine microscopic structures called root
hairs. These are root hairs through which water enters the plant. Gently
squash a portion of the root hair between slide and cover slip in a drop of
water and examine under a microscope. Note the thinness of the walls of
root hairs. It is not completely understood how the water enters the root
hairs and passes inwards from cell to cell until it gets into the xylem vessels,
null
64 X Class Transportation - The circulatory system
but there is no doubt that osmosis plays an important role.(IX class
plasmamembrane)
Every living cell acts as an osmotic system, the cytoplasm lining of
null
null
null
null
A
the cell wall acts as the semipermeable membrane. Observe the following
figure, notice how do roots penetrate into soil? You will find that the root
null
null
null
null
AN
hairs grow out into the spaces between the soil particles and that the hairs
are surrounded by moisture.
null
null
epidermal cell
null
null
null
null
NG
soil particles
soil water
xylem vessel
nucleus
air spaces
null
null
cells of cortex cell wall of root hair
LA vacuole
cellsap
null
fig-16: L.S of root showing relationship of root hair and soil water
null
Note: In fig-16 Arrow marks shows the direction of flow of water.
TE
null
The soil water is an extremely dilute solution of salts. Soil water
concentration is more dilute than that of the cell sap in the root hair;
therefore water will pass into the vacuole of the root hair by osmosis.
Recall the process of osmosis that you have learnt in the chapter “moving
of substances through plasma membrane” in class IX. The entry of water
T
null
null
dilutes the contents of the root hair vacuole so that it becomes more dilute
than it’s neighbouring cell.
So, water passes into the neighbouring cell which in turn becomes
ER
null
null
null
null
diluted, finally water enters the xylem vessels. As there are vast number of
root hairs and root cells involved, a pressure in the xylem vessels develops
which forces the water upwards. This total pressure is known as root
pressure. Root pressure is not the main cause of movement of water in
xylem but it is certainly one of the factor. The other factors are also there.
SC
null
null
null
null
You will learn about those reasons in higher classes in detail.
Activity-6
What is root pressure
Take a regularly watered potted plant and cut the stem portion 1 cm
above the ground level. Then connect a glass tube by means of strong rubber
Free distribution by T.S. Government 2019-20 65
tubing as shown in the figure. The size of
clamp
glass tube should be equal to the size of the
glass tube stem. Take care while joining tube and stem
null
null
null
null
A
water level being bound tightly, so that water cannot
strong rubber tubing escape from the tube. Now, pour some water
null