How is water transported moves upward in the plants?
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Solution
Sap ascent:
This is a crucial tissue found in the plant's xylem tissue.
It is crucial in transporting water and minerals from the plant's roots to the crown.
The xylem of the plant contains both living and non-living cells.
Furthermore, the xylem's water and mineral conducting cells are mostly non-living cells.
Ascent of sap process:
Because of the action of three different forces, sap (water containing minerals) from roots can move upwards (against gravity) towards leaves and other plant parts.
When sap absorbs soil through roots, the three forces (root pressure, capillary pressure, and cohesive tension) begin to act on it, causing it to move upward.
First, water is absorbed by the root fibers via the Osmosis process.
This is followed by the action of root pressure, which is essentially a transverse osmotic pressure that transfers absorbed water from root fibers to xylem tissues.
When water enters the xylem tissues, cohesion tension (an attractive force) is created between water molecules, resulting in stress within the xylem tissue, causing further upward movement of the sap.
This is followed by capillary action, which creates a suction force that pulls water molecules from all void areas towards the plant's upperparts.
This suction force is aided by transpirational pull (pulling force arising due to the vacuum created by the process of transpiration).
Similarly, the three forces cause sap to move throughout the plant.
