Name: Mineral Nutrition in Plants
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 18 min 21 s
Description: Do only humans need minerals in their diet? No, even plants require different types of minerals. These minerals are grouped as macro and micro-nutrients.

Question

Discuss an experiment to demonstrate that water is absorbed by root hairs.

Accepted Answer

Aim: Water is absorbed by root hairs.

Materials required: Four test tubes, marker, water, cork, three balsam plants, mustard oil.

Procedure: Take four test tubes and mark them A, B, C and D.

Fill water in test tubes A, B and C up to about $3 / 4$ level and only a negligible amount of water in test tube D.

Fix a cork firmly over the mouth of test tube A.

Take $3$ small-sized young balsam plants with their roots intact by washing the roots under tap water. Insert them in test tubes B, C and D in a manner that the roots get fully dipped in water in test tubes B and C. But roots will remain well above the water in test tube D.

Add a few drops of red ink in test tube C.

Add a few drops of oil, like mustard oil, in test tubes B. Oil which is having lesser density, float on the surface and prevent the loss of water by evaporation.

Mark the level of water in the mentioned $4$ test tubes with a marker and leave this set up for about $24$ hours.

Now, note any change in the water level in test tubes.

Observation and conclusion:

In test tube A: Water level remains unchanged as there is no plant to absorb water. Also, it is corked, so there is not any loss of water.

In test tube B: Water level falls, because water is absorbed by the plant through the roots dipped in water.

In test tube C: Water gets into the plant through the roots and reaches the leaves as the path is seen because of the red colour.

In test tube D: There is no change in water level as the roots are not dipped in water.

Discuss an experiment to demonstrate that water is absorbed by root hairs.

Important Questions on Transport of Food and Minerals in Plants

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