KS4 Plant Exchanges & Transport

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KS4 Plant Exchanges & Transport
Learning Objectives

B3.1.3 Exchange systems in plants

Pupils should:

  1. Know that in plants:
    • carbon dioxide enters leaves by diffusion
    • most of the water and mineral ions are absorbed by roots.
  2. Know that the surface area of the roots is increased by root hairs and the surface area of leaves is increased by the flattened shape and internal air spaces.
  3. Know that plants have stomata to obtain carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and to remove oxygen produced in photosynthesis.
  4. Know that plants mainly lose water vapour from their leaves. Most of the loss of water vapour takes place through the stomata.
    • Evaporation is more rapid in hot, dry and windy conditions.
    • If plants lose water faster than it is replaced by the roots, the stomata can close to prevent wilting.
  5. Know that the size of stomata is controlled by guard cells, which surround them.
  6. Be able to analyse and evaluate the conditions that affect water loss in plants

B3.2.3 Transport systems in plants

Pupils should:

  1. Know that flowering plants have separate transport systems:
    • xylem tissue transports water and mineral ions from the roots to the stem and leaves
    • the movement of water from the roots through the xylem and out of the leaves is called the transpiration stream
    • phloem tissue carries dissolved sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant, including the growing regions and the storage organs 

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