Question

What is the importance of 'tension' that is created during transpiration?

Answer 1

1. Water fills the xylem capillaries, forming a continuous water column due to water's cohesion and adhesion capabilities.
2. Water in the plant xylem is "pulled" upward by the tension caused by transpiration, similar to how water is drawn higher when we suck a straw.
3. According to the cohesion-tension theory, the main cause of water movement in the xylem is transpiration. This tension eventually carries water up from the roots.