Year 11 - Science
The effect of light on water uptake by a plant: practical
Transport and exchange surfaces in plants
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit covers water and mineral uptake in plants, focusing on root hair cells, xylem, and phloem. It includes transpiration, translocation, and factors affecting water uptake. Emphasis is on rate calculations, graph interpretation, experiments, and data analysis.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use a simple potometer to investigate the effect of light on water uptake by a plant.
Key Notes
- Practical demonstration of the use of a simple potometer to measure water uptake by a leafy shoot.
- Use of a light source to vary light intensity.
- Use of appropriate apparatus to control temperature (e.g. a water tank as a heat shield between light and plant).
- Use of a simple potometer to measure water uptake by a plant at a range of light intensities.
- Rate of water uptake = change in volume of water ÷ time taken for volume to change
Vocabulary To Learn
- transpiration: the loss of water from a plant's leaves
- potometer: a piece of equipment used to measure the rate of water uptake by a plant
- control: a variable which is kept constant between all experiments
- light intensity: the amount of light reaching a given area in a given time
- rate: a measure of how much change occurs per unit of time
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Being able to explain the set up of a potometer is difficult because it has so many stages that are tricky.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Practical demonstration of the use of a simple potometer to measure water uptake by a leafy shoot. Use of a light source to vary light intensity.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'transpiration'
the loss of water from a plant's leaves. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Being able to explain the set up of a potometer is difficult because it has so many stages that are tricky. Correction: The stages of setting up a potometer are broken down into four parts, checked for understanding, reinforced with a lab demonstration video and concluded with a cartoon task.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Observing root hair cells using a light microscope: practical Study Guide
- Observing the structure and distribution of stomata: practical Study Guide
- Observing xylem and phloem using a light microscope: practical Study Guide
- Plant roots are adapted to absorb water and mineral ions Study Guide
- The effects of environmental factors on the rate of water uptake by a plant Study Guide
- The importance of exchange surfaces and transport systems in plants Study Guide
- Transport systems in plants: phloem and translocation Study Guide
- Transport systems in plants: xylem and transpiration Study Guide
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