Why is adhesion important for water transport in plants?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the significance of adhesion in the context of water transport within plants, specifically how it affects the interaction of water with xylem walls and other surfaces.
Answer
Adhesion helps water transport by allowing it to adhere to plant vessel walls, aiding capillary action and upward movement.
Adhesion is important for water transport in plants because it allows water to stick to the walls of plant vessels, facilitating the upward movement of water through capillary action. Adhesive forces help water molecules to adhere to the narrow tubes of xylem in plants, which prevents them from being pulled back by gravity.
Answer for screen readers
Adhesion is important for water transport in plants because it allows water to stick to the walls of plant vessels, facilitating the upward movement of water through capillary action. Adhesive forces help water molecules to adhere to the narrow tubes of xylem in plants, which prevents them from being pulled back by gravity.
More Information
Adhesion, along with cohesion, enables the continuous column of water to be maintained from the roots to the leaves, which is essential for the plant's transpiration and nutrient transport processes.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the roles of cohesion and adhesion. Remember cohesion involves attraction between water molecules, while adhesion is about attraction between water and other surfaces.
Sources
- Water - Cohesive and Adhesive Properties - Biology LibreTexts - bio.libretexts.org
- Cohesion and adhesion of water - Khan Academy - khanacademy.org
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