New
New
Year 11
OCR
Foundation

The effects of environmental factors on the rate of water uptake by a plant

I can explain the effects of environmental factors on the rate of water uptake by a leafy shoot.

New
New
Year 11
OCR
Foundation

The effects of environmental factors on the rate of water uptake by a plant

I can explain the effects of environmental factors on the rate of water uptake by a leafy shoot.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Compare data on rate of water uptake by a plant at a range of light intensities.
  2. Identify a pattern or trend in the data.
  3. Higher light intensity increases transpiration rate as stomata open wider to increase gas exchange for photosynthesis.
  4. Increased temperature and air movement also increase the rate of water uptake.
  5. Higher temperature and air movement increase transpiration due to increased diffusion of water out through stomata.

Keywords

  • Photosynthesis - a series of chemical reactions in the cells of producers, which use carbon dioxide and water to make glucose and oxygen, requiring light

  • Light intensity - the amount of light reaching a given area in a given time

  • Stomata - pores in the leaf through which water, oxygen and carbon dioxide can diffuse

  • Transpiration - the loss of water from a plant’s leaves

  • Trend - a pattern in data

Common misconception

Some students may struggle to explain how transpiration is affected by a number of factors, even though these factors have the same effects on everyday activities such as drying hair or clothes.

Links between these everyday events and transpiration have been made and illustrated simultaneously, so students make the link between the two.

Use a hair dryer and a small puddle of water to show how increasing temperature and wind speed increases water evaporation, and relate this to transpiration.
Teacher tip

Equipment

None required.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the function of stomata?
Correct answer: To allow gas exchange
To store nutrients
To support the plant
To transport water
Q2.
Which parts of a plant are involved in the transpiration stream?
Flowers, fruits, and seeds
Correct answer: Roots, stem, and leaves
Stem, branches, and seeds
Roots, flowers, and leaves
Q3.
What role do chloroplasts play in a plant cell?
Correct answer: They carry out photosynthesis
They provide structural support
They store water
They transport nutrients
Q4.
What is the primary function of the xylem in plants?
To carry out photosynthesis
To store nutrients
To transport sugars
Correct answer: To transport water and minerals
Q5.
How do guard cells regulate the opening and closing of stomata?
By absorbing carbon dioxide
Correct answer: By changing shape to open or close the stomata
By producing chlorophyll
By storing water
Q6.
What is the role of the phloem in plants?
To provide structural support
To store nutrients
Correct answer: To transport sugars
To transport water

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the effect of increased light intensity on water uptake?
It decreases water uptake
It has no effect on water uptake
Correct answer: It increases water uptake
Q2.
What is the effect of increased air movement on water uptake?
It decreases water uptake
It has no effect on water uptake
Correct answer: It increases water uptake
Q3.
Why does higher temperature increase water uptake?
It decreases the rate of transpiration
It has no effect on transpiration
Correct answer: It increases the rate of transpiration
Q4.
What are the main environmental factors affecting water uptake in plants?
Light intensity, plant species, soil type
Nutrient availability, water quality, plant species
Correct answer: Light intensity, temperature, air movement
Soil type, plant age, humidity
Q5.
Why is water uptake important for photosynthesis?
Water helps in transporting glucose
Correct answer: Water is a reactant in the photosynthesis process
Water provides energy for photosynthesis
Water stabilises the chloroplasts
Q6.
How does increased air movement enhance transpiration?
By increasing water absorption through roots
By preventing water loss from the leaf
Correct answer: By quickly removing water vapour from the area surrounding the leaf
By reducing the temperature of the leaf