Question

From where do root hair carry out exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide?

• A. By breaking soil particles and absorbing air present inside them.
• B. Root hairs do not need to exchange gases as this is done by leaves of the plant.
• C. Root hairs of land plants absorb the dissolved oxygen in water to breathe.
• D. Root hairs exchange gases to and from tiny air pockets present in between soil particles.

Answer 1

The correct option is (C):

Explanation of the correct option:

1. There are air pockets present between the soil particles where the trapped oxygen is present. ​
2. Root hair exchange gasses to and from tiny air pockets present in soil particles.
   
3. The large surface area provided by root hairs facilitates this along with absorption of water.

Explanation of the incorrect options:

Option (A):

1. Soil particles is broken down into loose particles during ploughing.
2. It is not performed by the roots of the plants.
   

Option (B):

1. ​The exchange of gases occurs in the roots along with the leaves.
   
2. The stomata helps with the exchange of gases in the leaves while root hair helps with exchange of gases in the roots.
   

Option (D):

1. ​Root hair absorb water but it gets the oxygen in gaseous form only.
   
2. It is not able to fetch the oxygen dissolved in water.
   

Final Answer: Root hair carry out exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from tiny air pockets present in between soil particles.