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Transpiration is the loss of water by evaporation from the leaves through the stomata.
The source of water for the plants is soil water. It is taken up by root hair cells by osmosis.
Once in the root hair cell, water moves by osmosis from cell to cell through the endodermis
into the Xylem. The water is then pulled under pressure through the transpiration stream up
the Xylem (a long hollow tube) to the leaves.
The water moves by osmosis into the palisade cells and will saturate the air spaces in
the leaves. Water is lost from air spaces within stomata to outside.
Photosynthesis
To maintain turgor shape.
A potometer measures water loss in leaves. There are two types. Weight potometer and
bubble potometer. A weight potometer measures the amount of water lost by a plant
through transpiration.
Experiment:
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Bubble potometer
Measures how fast a plant loses water through transpiration over a short period of time
under different environmental conditions.
Precautions while setting up!
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Seal the join with Vaseline to avoid air bubbles in the system
Dry/blot leaves to create a gradient in favour of water evaporation.
Reset scale to zero before starting.
Factors affecting transpiration
Factor
Effect
Explanation
Light
Dark
Increased Transpiration
Decreased Transpiration
High temperature
Increased Transpiration
Low temperature
Decreased Transpiration
High wind
Increased Transpiration
Low wind
Decreased Transpiration
Decreased Transpiration
Increased Transpiration
Defoliation
Decreased Transpiration
Availability of
water
High humidity
(moist air)
Low humidity
(dry air)
Pink
(Moist)
Result: Lower surface goes pink quicker as it has more stomata. Exceptions are glass
and plants on water such as lily.
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To prove that the greater part of transpiration occurs on the lower surface:
Hang leaves by their stalks from a line. Ensure the stalks are covered with Vaseline
to prevent water loss.
Treatment
Result
Conclusion
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Transpiration Stream
This is a force. The evaporation of water from the leaves causes a type of suction,
which pulls (this is the force!) water up the stream from the roots. The water travels in the
xylem vessels of the vascular bundles.
Water will move out of the xylem by osmosis to ensure the cell vacuoles are full of
water (turgid). In the leaf, the air spaces are saturated with water. This allows cell
membranes to be moist, to allow rapid diffusion. There are several factors assisting the
water from the root to the leaf:
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Importance of transpiration
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Stomata
Stomata hole where gases (and
water vapour) can diffuse in and out of
Day
Chloroplasts absorb light for
photosynthesis
Cell sap gets stronger
(i.e. lower water potential)
Night
No light no photosynthesis
Cell sap gets weaker
(i.e. higher water potential)
No water enters
Guard cells are flaccid
Stomata are closed