BRAINCAKE

Movement of Water Up the Stem

OCR AS-level BiologyMass Transport in PlantsLesson 5 of 18

The movement of water up the stem is through cohesion-tension. Water molecules are bonded together by hydrogen bonds. This is called cohesion.

When one water molecule evaporates from a mesophyll cell it pulls the chain of water molecules up the xylem. The next molecule evaporates and pulls the chain of water molecules up further. As a results there is a continuous pull of the column of water molecules up the xylem.

Diagram

Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz

BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.

Key terms in this lesson

transpiration
The evaporation of water from the surface of a plant, mainly through the stomata of the leaves.

More in Mass Transport in Plants

All 18 lessons in Mass Transport in Plants · All OCR AS-level Biology topics