Edexcel GCSE Biology

Topic Questions

6.3 Transport in Plants

1a
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3 marks
(i)

Water enters a plant through root hair cells.

Root hair cells have

(1)

  A a small surface area and thin cell walls
  B a small surface area and thick cell walls
  C a large surface area and thin cell walls
  D a large surface area and thick cell walls


(ii)


Explain how water in the root is transported to the leaves of the plant.

(2)

1b
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1 mark

How is sucrose transported from the leaves to other parts of the plant?

  A by osmosis through the phloem
  B by osmosis through the xylem
  C by translocation through the phloem
  D by translocation through the xylem
1c
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5 marks

Figure 1 shows the average size of stomata in a leaf during one day.fig-7-1bio-2h-june19-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 1

(i)
Name the cells that change the size of the stomata.

(1)

(ii)
Describe the trend shown in Figure 1.

(2)

(iii)
The temperature increased from 8 am to 1 pm.

Explain why this affected the size of the stomata.

(2)

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2a
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1 mark

State the predominant process by which water is lost from the spongy mesophyll cells of a leaf.

2b
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2 marks

Suggest two reasons why transpiration is beneficial for the plant.

2c
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4 marks

Figure 1 shows the movement of water through a plant. Arrows indicate the direction of movement.

plant

Figure 1

Using information from Figure 1, explain how the transpiration stream moves water from roots to leaves in plants. 

2d
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1 mark

Predict what would happen to the transpiration rate of the plant in Figure 1 during the night time.

  • Transpiration increases

  • Transpiration remains constant

  • Transpiration stops

  • Transpiration decreases

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3a
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2 marks

The table 1 below lists some of the factors that affect the rate of transpiration in plants.

Table 1

Factor Decreases transpiration rate? Increases transpiration rate?
Increase in light intensity    
Increase in temperature    
Increase in air flow    
Increase in humidity    

Place a tick () for each factor, in the correct box that corresponds to either a decrease or increase in transpiration rate.

3b
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1 mark

Two students set up the equipment shown in Figure 1 to investigate the effect of air flow on the rate of transpiration of a plant shoot.

reservoir

Figure 1

State the name of the equipment shown in Figure 1.

3c
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2 marks

Using the equipment shown in Figure 1, some students investigated transpiration in a plant.

The students initially left the equipment for 20 minutes and recorded the distance moved by the bubble.

They then repeated the experiment but placed a moving electric fan next to the plant. Two different fan speeds were tested (fast and slow).

The results are shown in Figure 2  

bubble-distance

Figure 2

Explain why the air movement, caused by the fan, affects the rate of uptake of water by the shoot.

3d
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2 marks

Identify two factors that should be kept the same during the experiment...

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4a
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2 marks

Complete the sentence by choosing the missing words from the box below.

The __________ transports food substances such as dissolved __________ made in the __________ to the rest of the plant. This process is called __________ .

xylem         sugars          phloem          mineral ions         translocation         water         leaves     transpiration          roots         photosynthesis

4b
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2 marks

Complete the sentences using words from the box below.

Water moves into the cytoplasm of root hair cells by the process of __________ .

Mineral ions move into the cytoplasm of root hair cells by the process of __________ .

evaporation         diffusion          active transport         

osmosis          translocation           transpiration          

4c
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2 marks

Root hair cells possess long hair-like projections as seen in Figure 1.

root-hair-cell-igcse-and-gcse-biology-revision-notes-1

Figure 1

Explain how these projections provide a beneficial adaptation for the absorption of mineral ions and water.

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5a
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2 marks

State two functions of stomata in plant leaves.

5b
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2 marks

Describe the rhythmic pattern of stomata opening and closing during both day and night in plants.

5c
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4 marks

Complete Table 1 below to illustrate the bidirectional nature of phloem transport in plants.

Table 1

Developmental stage Source Sink
Winter    
Spring Roots, stems, leaves Other plant parts
Summer    
5d
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4 marks

Complete Table 2 below by filling in the missing information about the structures involved in the transport of substances in plants.

Table 2

Structure Function
  Transport of water and minerals to leaves
Root hair cells  
  Control diffusion of gases and water loss
Phloem cells  

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1a
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2 marks

The graph shows the changes in stomatal size over a 12 hour period throughout the day.

stomata-size-graph-2

Describe the changes in stomatal size over the 12 hour period.

1b
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2 marks

The temperature increased from 8 am to 1 pm. 

Explain why this affected the size of the stomata.

1c
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3 marks

Figure 1 shows a stoma before and after opening. 

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Figure 1

Name the cells shown in this image and describe the changes that occur in these cells that cause the stoma to open.

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2a
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5 marks

A pair of students wanted to investigate how water moves through a plant.

They placed a plant with exposed roots into a conical flask containing water. They then placed a mass balance below to measure how the mass of water changed during the experiment.

They set up their equipment as shown in Figure 1. 

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Figure 1

 

(i)
Explain how water moves into the roots of plants. 

(3)

(ii)
Salt was added to the water in the conical flask to form a salt solution.
Explain how the salt solution would affect the movement of water into or out of the plant.

(2)

2b
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3 marks

Explain how water is moved through a plant from the roots to the surrounding air.

2c
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5 marks
(i)
The students repeated their experiment with a new plant and fresh water. 

Suggest how they could change their experiment to measure the effect of light intensity on the rate of transpiration. 

(3)

(ii)
Explain how varying light intensity affects the rate of transpiration in plants.

(2)

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3a
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3 marks

Glucose is produced in the leaves of a plant through the process of photosynthesis. 

It can then be transported to other areas around the plant in order to be used. 

Explain how glucose is transported through a plant.

3b
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3 marks

When the sugars travel through the plant they are transported to the place where they are required, known as a sink. 

(i)
In a photosynthesising plant, which part of the plant acts as a sink?

(1)

(ii)
When the sugars arrive at the sink, what can they be used for? 

(2)

3c
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3 marks

The process of transporting sugars through the plant is aided by active transport.

Describe how active transport can be used to transport sugars in a plant. 

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4a
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1 mark

A student set up a potometer to investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of transpiration. 

Figure 1 shows the equipment they used. 

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Figure 1

Explain the function of the reservoir in this equipment. 

4b
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3 marks

The student placed the equipment in areas with different air temperatures. They left the equipment for 45 minutes and recorded the rate of transpiration during that time. 

Their results are shown in Figure 2. 

Air temperature in °C

Rate of transpiration in mm per minute

5 0.5
10  
15 1.1
20 1.9
25 1.9
30 0.7

Figure 2

(i)

When the air temperature was 10°C, the air bubble in the potometer moved 36 mm.

Calculate the rate of transpiration at 10°C. 

(1)

(ii)
Explain why the rate of transpiration decreases between 25°C and 30°C.

(2)

4c
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2 marks

Explain how glucose production could be affected if this plant lost a lot of water. 

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5a
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4 marks

An investigation was carried out over a 12-hour period to compare transpiration in two species of plant, Coleus and Begonia. 

The mass of each plant was recorded before and after the 12-hour period to find out the effect of transpiration.

The investigation was repeated five times with the same plants.

Figure 1 shows the change in mass of each plant over each 12-hour period.

change-in-mass-of-plants

Figure 1

(i)
Calculate the mean change in mass of the Begonia plant for the five 12-hour periods.

(2)

(ii)
Using Figure 1, compare the water loss in the Coleus plant with the water loss in the Begonia plant. 
(2)
5b
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6 marks

The wilted Coleus plant was observed to recover more quickly than the wilted Begonia plant after they were both watered.

Explain this observation.

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6a
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3 marks

A student compared the number of stomata on the upper and lower surfaces of a leaf.

She completed a leaf peel as shown in Figure 1.fig-22-1bio-2f-june18-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 1

The layer of nail varnish shows an impression of the cells on the surface of the leaf.

(i)
State why a coverslip is placed on top of the leaf peel.
(1)
(ii)
Explain why the leaf peel rather than the whole leaf was viewed with a microscope.
(2)
6b
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4 marks

The student drew a biological diagram of the leaf peel taken from the underside of the leaf.

Figure 2 shows this diagram.fig-23-1bio-2f-june18-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 2

(i)
State the number of stomata visible in Figure 2.
(1)

(ii)
The student observed that the stomata were open.

Describe how stomata open.
(3)
6c
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6 marks

Figure 3 shows xylem and phloem.

Xylem and phloem are involved in the transport of substances through a plant.fig-24-1bio-2f-june18-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 3

Use Figure 3 to help you describe how water and sucrose move through a plant.

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