FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS.) BIOLOGY (AS201)

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY (BIO611)

MARCH 2023 – AUGUST 2023

LAB REPORT 3

STUDENT NAME STUDENT ID

GROUP:

PREPARED FOR:

DATE OF SUBMISSION:
EXPERIMENT 3 : TRANSPIRATION AS A MECHANISM OF WATER TRANSPORT
IN THE CELERY XYLEM

DISCUSSION

The results show that celery in flask A has a transpiration rate of 0.511 cm/min. Celery in flask

A is placed at room temperature (control environment). Temperature plays a significant role in

water uptake of celery (Qaderi et al., 2019). Celery will osmotically absorb water naturally at

room temperature. The water flows from a high-concentration area (the container) to a low-

concentration area (the celery cells). Since there are no external factors causing the dye to flow

faster or slower, the dye travels up the celery A at a normal rate. Additionally, the leaves of

celery A have the largest surface area (224 cm2) compared to the other celeries in this

experiment. The rate of transpiration is affected by the leaves area. Wide leaves often have

more stomata, hence the larger the surface area they have, the faster they transpire (Maylani et

al., 2020). Furthermore, celery A was set up in a laboratory environment with a lamp at the

ceiling acting as the light source. This also influenced the result for celery A, where celery A

had the highest transpiration rate compared to the other two.

The celery in flask B is situated in front of a running fan and has a transpiration rate of

0.351 cm/min. The wind created by the fan could improve the rate of transpiration. Wind

quickly eliminating the water vapour layer from the leaf's surface. This layer is stripped

away when a leaf is moved by the wind, increasing transpiration (University of Nebraska–

Lincoln, n.d.). Therefore, celery is expected to absorb water at a higher rate after being exposed

to the fan. However, it is worth mentioning that the surface area of celery B's leaves is 176 cm2,

which is lower than celery A’s 224 cm2. This implies that celery A has more stomata for

transpiration. This explains why celery B in this experiment transpires at a lower rate than

celery A.
 The last one is Flask C which was placed under the gooseneck lamp. Celery C transpires

at a rate of 0.328 cm/min. Similar to other plants, celery depends on light for photosynthesis

(Yang et al., 2022). Water is transported from the roots to the leaves via photosynthesis. As a

result, exposing celery to light from a lamp or a different light source will encourage

photosynthesis and stimulates the stomata to open (Inoue & Kinoshita, 2017). This will

increase the transpiration rate. Celery C, however, has leaves area that is only 169 cm2, which

is less than celery A and B. Due to this, it transpires at the slowest rate compared to the other

two.

Temperature, air movement, and light all influence celery water uptake. Individuals

who grow celery can benefit from this knowledge. It would be better to keep the celery at room

temperature. Celery naturally absorbs water by osmosis, therefore providing access to water or

putting it in a vessel containing some water will speed up the process. Place celery close to a

running fan to accelerate the water absorption process, but watch out for strong winds. A light

breeze can increase water absorption and encourage transpiration, but excessive wind could

result in over-drying. Also, it is essential to provide the plant enough exposure to both natural

and artificial light if you want to maximise celery's ability to absorb water through

photosynthesis. The plant will be able to absorb water and grow to its fullest if it is placed next

to a window or under a light source with adequate light.

1.0 CONCLUSION

Transpiration is the mechanism through which plants eliminate extra water from their leaves

via stomata. Rates of transpiration are influenced by wind, light, and other environmental

factors. According to the results of this experiment, celery that has been left at room

temperature transpires at a higher rate than celery B that has been exposed to wind and celery

C that has been exposed to light. This is because celery A has much larger total surface area of

leaves than celery B and C, suggesting that celery A has more stomata for transpiration. To

guarantee the best growth and water absorption for celery, each environmental factor must be

balanced. Understanding these elements can assist gardeners to get the ideal results.

2.0 POST LAB QUESTIONS

1. How to estimate the true leaf surface area by using graph paper?

First, place the leaf on the graph paper and trace the outline of the leaf. Next, count the

number of grid squares that are fully or partially covered by the leaf outline and do not

count partial grid squares that are less than half covered. For fully covered square grids,

it represents 1 square unit for each and for half-covered square grids, it represents

1/2 square units for each. Therefore, the area of the leaf surface can be calculated by

total up the sum of the square units.

2. Suggest the outcome of having thin leaf plant cutting compared to thick leaf plant.

By having thin leaf plant, it will increase the transpiration rate. It is because thin leaves

have a larger surface area for light and carbon dioxide absorption compared to thick

leaf plant. Thus, it shows that thin leaf plants have higher transpiration rate compared

to the thick leaf plants.

3. Explain the role of water potential in the movement of water from soil to the plant

and into the air.

Water potential drives the movement of water from the soil into the root. It is due to the

differences of water potential between the root cells and surrounding soil in which the

root cells have lower water potential than surrounding soil. Thus, it facilitates the water

uptake into the roots.

Next, water potential drives the movement of the water to the leaves through

the xylem. It is due to the differences of water potential gradient between the root and

leaves which cause water to move upwards through the xylem. As the water reaches

the leaves, it undergoes transpiration where the leaves loss water molecules through the

stomata and cause the water potential in the leaves to decrease. Thus, negative pressure

is created in the xylem and causes continuity of water uptake from the roots to the

leaves.

Lastly, the water evaporates from the surfaces of the leaves during transpiration

due to the differences in water potential between the atmosphere and the leaves in which

the water potential in the atmosphere is lower than water potential in the leaves. Thus,

it facilitates the movement of water vapor from the leaf to the atmosphere.

4. What property of water accounts for the fact that molecules of water climb the

thin xylem vessels?

The property of water accounts for the water molecules climbing the thin xylem vessels

in plants is called cohesion where it refers to the tendency of molecules of water to

attract and stick to each other due to hydrogen bonding. Thus, cohesion allows the

molecules of water to move upward from the roots to the leaves.

5. State the advantage and the disadvantage of close stomata to a plant when water

is in short supply.

Advantage: When the stomata is closed during water is in short supply, it helps to

minimize loss of water to the atmosphere which allow the plant to survive under this

condition.

Disadvantage: When the stomata is closed during water is in short supply, it will

decrease the transpiration rate due to less uptake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.

6. Describe several adaptations that enable plants to reduce water loss from their

leaves.

The outer surface of leaves is covered with a waxy cuticle to minimize the loss of water

from the stomata to the atmosphere. For example, plants that grow in dry environments

have a thicker waxy cuticle than plants that grow in moderate environment to prevent

the excessive loss of water from the plant due to the environmental condition. Besides

that, the leaves also are covered with high number of stomata that are sunken below the

surface of the leaves to reduce transpiration rate.