Plant roots are adapted to absorb water and mineral ions
I can explain how water and mineral ions are absorbed into specialised root hair cells that are adapted to maximise absorption.
Plant roots are adapted to absorb water and mineral ions
I can explain how water and mineral ions are absorbed into specialised root hair cells that are adapted to maximise absorption.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Plants need water for support (to remain turgid) because they don’t have bones, and for photosynthesis in cells.
- Plants need mineral ions for growth and repair, including nitrate ions as a source of nitrogen to make proteins.
- Particles of water are absorbed by osmosis, a type of diffusion, into plant root hair cells.
- Nitrate ions are absorbed into plant root hair cells by active transport, which requires energy.
- Root hair cells are adapted to increase the surface area of membrane for osmosis and active transport.
Keywords
Osmosis - the net movement of water molecules through a selectively-permeable membrane from high to low concentration of water molecules
Net movement - the overall movement of particles
Active transport - the net movement of particles against a concentration gradient using energy
Concentration gradient - a difference in the concentration of particles from one area to another
Root hair cell - a specialised plant cell found in the roots that absorb water and nutrients into the plant
Common misconception
Some students do not realise the significance of the shape of the root hair cell and do not explain this in terms of increasing its surface area.
The idea of surface area as the significant adaptation of root hair cells is clearly introduced, checked, and reinforced with specific tasks that explicitly enquire about this adaptation.
To help you plan your year 11 biology lesson on: Plant roots are adapted to absorb water and mineral ions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 biology lesson on: Plant roots are adapted to absorb water and mineral ions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 biology lessons from the Transport and exchange surfaces in plants unit, dive into the full secondary biology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
None required.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
use of energy to move particles against a concentration gradient
net movement of particles from a region of high to lower concentration
a difference in concentration of particles from one region to another
the diffusion of water molecules through a membrane
Exit quiz
6 Questions
to make chlorophyll
needed to make amino acids
needed to make nucleotides
osmosis
diffsion
active transport
