Evaporation and transpiration are the two different types of naturally occurring process in the atmosphere. They are essential components of the hydrological cycle and play an important role in linking the terrestrial and atmospheric hydrological processes. In both the process, water is evaporated from the surface to the atmosphere in the form of a gaseous water vapour.
Transpiration differs from evaporation not only because it takes place in the plant cell. There many other differences between transpiration and evaporation. Let us check out some significant difference between these two natural phenomena.
Difference between Transpiration and Evaporation
Following are the important difference between transpiration and evaporation:
| Transpiration | Evaporation |
| It is a biological process. | It is a physical process. |
| Transpiration is a slow process. | Comparatively a fast process. |
| Occurs in living tissues. | Involves non-living matter. |
| In the process of transpiration water is lost from plant cells | In this process, water is lost from the surface of plant parts |
| Occurs through stomata, cuticle or lenticel. | It occurs from the entire outer surface |
| Occurs during the daytime. | Occurs during day as well as night |
| It is regulated by temperature, light, concentration, pH, hormones and carbon dioxide. | There is no such regulations or control over the Evaporation. |
| Surface remains wet | Surface becomes dry |
| It helps in the uptake of minerals and nutrients. | It is not associated with minerals or nutrients uptake |
| Transpiration is controlled by osmotic potential and water potential. | Evaporation is independent of these processes |
| Transpiration makes the surface of leaves and young stems wet and protects them from sunburn. | Evaporation provides dryness to the free surface. |
Also Read: Difference between transpiration and guttation
What is Evaporation?
The natural process of transforming water from its liquid state to the gaseous state is mainly referred to as evaporation. This natural phenomenon generally takes place only when water is available- it can be from any water bodies including oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, or even from the soil. The entire process requires large amounts of energy.
In the process of evaporation, water molecules get converted to the water vapour and the converted water vapour molecules are evaporated into the atmosphere. Altogether, the total amount of energy required for the evaporation of one gram of water is about 600 calories of heat energy.
What is Transpiration
Transpiration is a biological process in which the water molecules are lost in the form of water vapours from the aerial parts of the plants. This natural phenomenon is carried in all green plants and specifically take place in a tiny opening called as stomata. Along with the exchange of gases, stomata also helps in transpiration by actively opening and closing of their tiny pores for the movement of water molecules from their interior parts of the plants to the atmosphere in the form of vapours.
Transpiration also transports nutrients from the soil into the roots and carries them to the various cells of the plant. This process helps plant to survive under conditions of severe drought. Transpiration is just a subset of the evaporation process.
Also Read: Guttation
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