8 Questions
What is the primary function of rays in softwood trees?
Storing food and allowing convection of liquids
What is the average time it takes for hardwood trees to mature?
100 years
What is a characteristic of softwood trees?
Evergreen
What is the reason for the high demand for sap in hardwood trees?
Growing new leaves every year
What is a result of the slow growth rate of hardwood trees?
High-density timber
Why are hardwoods more expensive than softwoods?
All of the above
What is the purpose of preservatives in softwood trees?
To improve durability
What is a characteristic of the cell structure of hardwoods?
Thick-walled cells
Study Notes
Softwoods
- Evergreen trees with needle-like leaves composed of single cells called tracheids, which provide conduction and support functions.
- Rays in softwoods run radially, perpendicular to growth rings, storing food and facilitating liquid convection.
- Quick growth rate, allowing trees to be felled after 30 years, resulting in low-density timber with relatively low strength.
- Poor durability qualities, often requiring preservative treatment.
- Readily available and relatively cheap due to rapid growth and harvesting.
Hardwoods
- Broad-leaved, deciduous trees that lose their leaves at the end of each growing season.
- Complex cell structure featuring thick-walled fibers for structural support and thin-walled vessels for food conduction.
- Slow growth rate, resulting in high-density timber with high strength, often taking over 100 years to mature.
- Less dependent on preservatives for durability, but often more expensive due to time-consuming growth and transportation costs, as many are tropical.
- Two types of hardwoods: ring porous (with larger vessels formed in springwood) and diffuse porous (with evenly distributed pores).
This quiz covers the characteristics of softwoods, including their structure, growth rate, and timber properties. Learn about the features of softwood trees and their applications.
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