Syntheic Group Of Proteins
Essay by 24 • November 6, 2010 • 289 Words (2 Pages) • 1,243 Views
Transport in the Xylem
Cohesion-Tension Theory of water movement.
 Water in leaves develops large negative ΨP (tension)
 This tension pulls the water up through the xylem
 Cohesion is required to maintain the water column integrity
 Cohesion allows the pull from the leaves to extend all the way through the xylem to the roots and ultimately to the soil.
 This also depends on adhesion of water to the apoplast
 The pulling force arises from differences in ΨW.
 Neither capillary action nor air vacuums are sufficient to explain the large pull from the leaves.
 Instead, this results from fact that air has an extremely low ΨW, around - 95MPa.
Evidence for theory
 Evidence that transport is in the xylem: put radioactive potassium in soil or water. Ask where radioactivity goes. It is found in the xylem.
 Evidence of pulling:
* Cut stem and place cut portion of upper stem in water with dye. Dye moves up the stem in the xylem.
* Measure trunk diameter at the top and bottom of a tree over the course of a day. The top of the trunk shrinks before the bottom.
 Evidence that water is cohesive enough to withstand forces in the xylem: Place water in a capillary tube and spin in a centrifuge. Increase spin until the water in the column separates
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