Water and minerals are vital for plants, and they have a clever transportation system. Imagine plants have their own highway network called xylem and phloem.
Water and minerals are mainly transported through the xylem. This is like the plant’s water pipe. It starts from the roots, where water and minerals are absorbed from the soil. Then, using a process called transpiration, water evaporates from tiny pores on the leaves called stomata. This creates a kind of “suction” that pulls more water up from the roots, like sipping from a straw.
The phloem, on the other hand, is like the plant’s food delivery system. It transports sugars and nutrients produced in the leaves through photosynthesis to other parts of the plant. This helps the plant grow and develop.
So, water and minerals travel up through the xylem, while sugars and nutrients move through the phloem. It’s like nature’s own internal transport network, keeping the plant healthy and growing strong.