Showing posts with label Plants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plants. Show all posts

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Why are root hairs important to plants?

Root hairs form an important surface over which plants absorb most of their water and nutrients. The cell structure of root hairs exhibits a large surface area to volume ratio. This is an important evolutionary function that enables a large amount of water and mineral absorption into the organism without wasting valuable energy. Root hairs are highly specialized cells necessary for a vascular plant's ability to maintain its survival.

A root hair is a tubular outgrowth of root epidermal cells of vascular plants. They are found only in the region of maturation of the root. Root hairs are a specialized form of rhizoid.

A root hair is a tubular outgrowth of root epidermal cells of vascular plants. They are found only in the region of maturation of the root. Root hairs are a specialized form of rhizoid.

Root hairs form an important surface over which plants absorb most of their water and nutrients. They are also directly involved in the formation of root nodules in legume plants.

They have a large surface area, relative to the other cells, that help them absorb water and minerals more efficiently.

Root hairs are usually an outgrowth of a single epidermal cell that grow out of the roots. In other words, they are one cell thick, and therefore very fragile. This is why if you pull a plant out of the ground even with its visible roots still attached, the plant will often die when replanted. It needs the root hairs' extra surface area.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Why are leaves green?

The green color in leaves is caused by the presence of a compound called "chlorophyll," which the plant produces to do photosynthesis, which is how plants get energy from sunlight. The purpose of chlorophyll is to assist the plant in making food for itself by utilizing energy from sunlight and nutrients from the soil.

The chlorophyll is green because it absorbs red and blue wavelengths of light -- and so green is not absorbed and is reflected, making the plant look green to your eyes. Non-transparent things are the color they are because that is the color that is NOT absorbed -- the color you see is the color that is reflected... which is why you see it!

Why are flowers brightly colored?

To attract birds and insects.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Why are most plants green?

Most plants appear green because they contain chlorophyll, a pigment within the leaf and stem structure that reflects the wavelengths of light that make up the color green. Chlorophyll absorbs other wavelengths of light and uses the energy to produce nutrients.