Transport in plants

• Root hairs

  • Take in minerals by active transport (higher conc of ions in the cell than in the soil)
  • Take in water by osmosis
  • Large surface area
• Phloem

  • Elongated cells with pores in the end walls to allow stuff to flow through
  • Transport food substances (sucrose)
  • Companion cells pump sucrose solution to sieve cells by active transport
  • Small cytoplasm and no nucleus so that the tubes are wider
• Xylem

  • Made of dead cells with no cytoplasm to create wider tubes for water flow
  • Cell walls made of lignin so that the cells do not burst
  • Carry water and minerals from the roots to the shoots
• Translocation

  • Happens in phloem tubes
  • The transport of food substances in both directions (requires energy)
• Transpiration

  • Happens in xylem tubes
  • The movement of water from the roots to the shoots