The transport of water from the soil to

... The transport of water from the soil to the air via a plant. Vast amounts of water pass through plant cells. Water starts off in the soil. It is absorbed from the soil by the root hairs by osmosis. Root hairs have a cell membrane with a high surface area to volume ratio to efficiently absorb water, mineral ions and oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide. Root hairs project into the soil particles, which are surrounded by soil water at high water potential, compared to the low water potential of the content of the root hairs. Water moves across the cell wall by diffusion through pores between cellulose fibres and then enters the cytoplasm by osmosis across the cell membrane. Next water has to move across the cortex of the root and through the endodermis before entering the xylem via either the: Symplast route - where water is considered to

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