1.

4 Roots
What are Roots?

• Roots are usually underground, so we often do

not notice them. But, for many plants, the roots
take up just as much space as the above-ground
parts of the plant.
• Roots are the important underground part of all
vascular plants. They are most often below the
surface of the soil.
Functions of Roots

• Anchoring of the plant to the soil

• Absorption of water and nutrients from the soil

• Conduction of absorbed water and nutrients to stem

• Storage of food

• Prevention of Soil Erosion

Functions of Roots
• Anchoring: Roots are the reason plants remain attached to the
ground. They support the plant body, ensuring that it stands erect.
• Absorption: Primary function of the roots is to absorb water and
dissolved minerals from the soil. This is crucial as it helps in the
process of photosynthesis.

• Storage: Plants prepare food and store in the form of starch in the
leaves, shoots and roots. Prominent examples include carrots, radish,
beetroot, etc.
• Prevention of Soil Erosion: Roots hold the soil particles firmly to
prevent soil erosion.
• Transport: They take part in transport of absorbed water and
minerals to shoot system.
Functions of roots
• Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil. These are
then transported to all the other parts of the plant.
• Roots anchor the plant firmly in the ground, so it is not
pulled out when the wind blows strongly, or when an animal
pulls on the leaves
• Some plants store food in their roots. When conditions are
difficult – for example, in a cold winter, or a dry summer –
some plants allow their aboveground parts to die. Only the
underground roots continue to live. New shoots (above-
ground parts) grow from the roots when conditions become
better
Parts of a Plant
How roots absorb water and minerals

• Soil is made up of tiny rock particles. There is usually water

in the spaces between the particles. There are minerals
dissolved in the water.
• You may remember that special cells called root hairs grow
out of the surface of roots. Root hair cells provide a really big
surface through which water and minerals can be absorbed.
How roots absorb water and minerals
Questions

1 Explain how the absorption of water by roots helps

photosynthesis to take place.
2 Suggest why most plants die very quickly if their roots are
cut off .
3 Explain how root hairs help plants to absorb a lot of water
in a short time.
1. The absorption of water in plants takes place through roots.
Water is drawn up by the root hair cells through the process
of osmosis. The absorbed water is passed to different parts of
the plant through the roots.
Water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide are the essential
components of photosynthesis. Thus, photosynthesis is carried out
only in the presence of water, which is absorbed by the roots in
plants.
2. Because it is from the roots that they absorb minerals and
water. If the roots are cut off then the plants won't be able to get
any minerals or water hence they will start using the stored food
and water. When the stored supplies are running out, they will
have no way to live hence they will die.
3. The root hairs have a large surface area for
absorption of water. The more the surface area, the greater is the
rate of absorption of water by osmosis. So that they can absorb a
large amount of water in a short time.
Answers

• A1 You can see that all of the roots grow downwards.

• A2 This means that the roots will always grow down into
the ground. They will be able to support the plant in the soil,
and will be able to absorb water from the soil.
1.5 Transporting water
and minerals
• We have seen that the roots of a plant absorb water and
minerals. How are these transported from the roots to all
the other parts of the plant?
Answers

• A1 We need to make sure that there is nothing on the

outside of the stalk that might interfere with the
experiment. For example, there might be some soil that
could block the entrance to the xylem vessels through which
the coloured dye will move up the stalk.
• A2 One can see spots of colour arranged in a semicircle
inside the stalk. Each spot marks the position of a group of
xylem vessels.
Xylem vessels

• When you did Activity 1.5A, you saw that the coloured dye
did not soak into all of the celery stalk. It stayed inside the
xylem vessels.
• Xylem vessels are long, hollow tubes that carry water and
minerals from the roots of the plant to its leaves. In a tree,
the xylem vessels reach all the way up the trunk and to the
very tips of the branches. The xylem vessels continue inside
the leaves
• Xylem vessels are very tiny. The spots that you saw in the
celery stalk each contain several xylem vessels.
• The diagrams show where the xylem vessels are in a root, a
stem and a leaf. The dark blue areas show where xylem
vessels are found.
• Xylem vessels have very strong,
hard walls. This means that
they help to support the plant,
as well as transporting water
and minerals. The wood in a
tree trunk is made up of xylem
vessels. If you are working at a
wooden desk, you may be able
to see the xylem vessels that
make up the wood.