Year 11 - Science
Transport systems in plants: phloem and translocation
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 explain how sugars are transported through phloem by translocation.
Key Notes
- Sugars, amino acids and other organic substances (nutrients) are transported in phloem.
- Translocation starts at a source, such as a leaf where sugars are made.
- Sugars are transported into phloem by active transport across the membranes of the living phloem cells.
- Water moves into the phloem cells by osmosis, which increases the pressure and pushes the sugars along the phloem tube.
- Sugars are transported out of the phloem by active transport at a sink, such as a developing root, stem or flower.
Vocabulary To Learn
- phloem: specialised vessels in plants that transport sugar, amino acids and other nutrients
- translocation: the process of transporting sugars and nutrients through the phloem
- source: the location that the sugars or nutrients are loaded during translocation
- sink: the location that the sugars or nutrients are unloaded during translocation
- active transport: the net movement of particles against a concentration gradient using energy
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students get confused between transport in the xylem (water and minerals) and the phloem (sugars).
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Sugars, amino acids and other organic substances (nutrients) are transported in phloem. Translocation starts at a source, such as a leaf where sugars are made.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'phloem'
specialised vessels in plants that transport sugar, amino acids and other nutrients. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students get confused between transport in the xylem (water and minerals) and the phloem (sugars). Correction: These sections are covered in separate lessons, each with clear explanations and reinforcing tasks to support learning.
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 effect of light on water uptake by a plant: practical 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: xylem and transpiration Study Guide
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