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NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Biology Solutions Chapter 11 Transport in Plants are a helpful resource for students preparing for their CBSE Class 11 exams and entrance tests. These solutions help students learn important topics such as the transportation of water, minerals, and nutrients within plants. The article contains answers to NCERT Exemplar Solutions, MCQs, very short questions, short questions, long questions, an overview of the chapter, important topics, subtopics of the chapter and important diagrams as well.
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NEET Scholarship Test Kit (Class 11): Narayana | Physics Wallah | Aakash | ALLEN
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These solutions discuss topics such as osmosis, transpiration, and nutrient absorption, allowing students to clear doubts and prepare efficiently for exams. Studying would become easier, and students would gain confidence in answering questions related to Transport in Plants using these solutions. The NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Science also describe the concepts of this chapter easily.
The detailed answers to the MCQ solutions are given below:
Question:1
Which of the following statements does not apply to reverse osmosis?
(a) It is used for water purification.
(b) In this technique, pressure greater than osmotic pressure is applied to the system.
(c) It is a passive process.
(d) It is an active process.
Answer:
The answer is the option (d).Question:2
Which one of the following will not directly affect transpiration?
(a) Temperature
(b) Light
(c) Wind speed
(d) Chlorophyll content of leaves
Answer:
The answer is the option (d) Chlorophyll content of the leavesQuestion:3
The lower surface of leaf will have more number of stomata in a
(a) Dorsiventral leaf
(b) Isobilateral leaf
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Answer:
The answer is the option (a) Dorsiventral leafQuestion:4
The form of sugar transported through phloem is
(a) Glucose
(b) Fructose
(c) Sucrose
(d) Ribose
Answer:
The answer is the option (c) SucroseQuestion:5
The process of guttation takes place
(a) when the root pressure is high and the rate of transpiration is low
(b) when the root pressure is low and the rate of transpiration is high
(c) when the root pressure equals the rate of transpiration
(d) when the root pressure, as well as rate of transpiration, are high.
Answer:
The answer is the option (a) When the root pressure is high, and the rate of transpiration is low.Question:6
Which of the following is an example of imbibition?
(a) Uptake of water by root hair
(b) Exchange of gases in stomata
(c) Swelling of seed when put in soil
(d) Opening of stomata
Answer:
Ans. The answer is the option (c) Swelling of seeds when put in the soil.Question:7
When a plant undergoes senescence, the nutrients may be
(a) Accumulated
(b) Bound to cell wall
(c) Translocated
(d) None of the above
Answer:
The answer is the option (c) TranslocatedQuestion:8
Water potential of pure water at standard temperature is equal to
(a) 10
(b) 20
(c) Zero
(d) None of these
Answer:
The answer is the option (c) ZeroQuestion:9
Choose the correct option. Mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association of fungus with root system which helps in
A. Absorption of water
B. Mineral nutrition
C. Translocation
D. Gaseous exchange
(a) Only A
(b) Only B –
(c) Both A and B
(d) Both B and C
Answer:
The answer is the option (c) Both A & BQuestion:10
Based on the figure given below, which of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Movement of solvent molecules will take place from chamber A to B
(b) Movement of solute will take place from A to B
(c) Presence of a semipermeable is a prerequisite for this process to occur
(d) The direction and rate of osmosis depends on both the pressure gradient and concentration gradient.
Answer:
The answer is the option (b) Movement of solute will take place from A to BQuestion:11
Match the following and choose the correct option.
A | Leaves | i | Anti-transpirant |
B | Seed | ii | Transpirant |
C | Roots | iii | Negative osmotic potential |
D | Aspirin | iv | Imbibition |
E | Plasmolyzed cell | v | Absorpation |
Answer:
The answer is the option (a) A—(ii), B—(iv), C—(v), D—(i), E—(iii)Question:12
Mark the mismatched pair.
(a) Amyloplast—Store protein granule
(b) Elaioplast—Store oils or fats
(c) Chloroplasts—Contain chlorophyll pigments
(d) Chromoplasts—Contain coloured pigments other than chlorophyll
Answer:
The answer is the option (a) Amyloplast—Store protein granuleThe detailed answers to the Very Short Questions are given below:
Question:1
Answer:
ProteinsQuestion:3
Answer:
Pressure and concentration gradientQuestion:7
Answer:
The cell membrane is selectively permeableQuestion:9
Movement of substances in xylem is unidirectional while in phloem it is bidirectional. Explain.
Answer:
Movement in phloem is active transport, on the other hand, the movement in the xylem is done by means of passive transport, which is why the food in the phloem sap can be transported both upwards and downwards whereas the movement in xylem stays limited.Question:10
Identify the process occurring in I, II and III.
Answer:
i) Uniport, ii) Antiport, iii) SymportQuestion:11
Given below is a table. Fill in the gaps.
S. No. | Property | Simple diffusion | Facilitated transport | Active transport |
i. | Highly selective | Yes | ||
ii. | Uphill transport | Yes | ||
iii. | Requires ATP | |||
Answer:
S. No. | Property | Simple diffusion | Facilitated transport | Active transport |
i. | Highly selective | No | Yes | Yes |
ii. | Uphill transport | No | No | Yes |
iii. | Requires ATP | No | No | Yes |
Question:12
Define water potential and solute potential.
Answer:
Water potential is the kinetic energy of water, and it decreases on the addition of a solute. The degree and magnitude by which the water potential reduces on the addition of a solute is known as solute potential.Question:13
Why is solute potential always negative. Explain yw = ys + yp
Answer:
Question:14
An onion peel was taken and
(a) Placed in salt solution for five minutes.
(b) After that it was placed in distilled water. When seen under the microscope
what would be observed in (a) and (b)?
Answer:
When (a) happens, there is the loss of water since the concentration of water is higher of the peel than the surrounding salt - concentrated solution, which will lead to a loss of water. Thus the cells will undergo osmosis and shrink.Question:15
Answer:
The apoplast pathway facilitates the movement of water through the root, and this is due to the cortical cells being loosely arranged. The symplast pathway facilitates very less amount of water transport. The water movement in the apoplast pathway is restricted to the Casparian strip, and thus the symplast pathway is taken instead.Question:16
How does most of the water moves within the root?
Answer:
The boundary of the endodermis is the location where the Casparian strip is found and it is composed of suberin, thus being impenetrable to water. This restricts the passage of water through the apoplast pathway and forces it to follow through the symplast pathway instead.Question:17
Give the location of Casparian strip and explain its role in the water movement?
Answer:
Endodermal cell plant roots contain the Casparin strips, where it prevents the water movement from returning to the cortex, creating a positive hydrostatic pressure inthe vascular tissue.Question:18
Differentiate between guttation and transpiration.
Answer:
Question:19
Transpiration is a necessary evil in plants. Explain.
Answer:
Many processes in plants are regulated and dependant on the process of transpiration, such as the ascent of sap. The plant functions are dependent on this process and regulate the growth of plants, especially tall plants. The process helps in the loss of water through the form of water vapour and regulate the water level, but sometimes can lead to an excess loss, thus creating a shortage. Thus there is less water available for photosynthesis, and most of it is lost through transpiration. Thus in some, the process is very necessary, but on the other hand, it also causes certain issues, thus making it a necessary evil.
Question:20
Describe briefly the three physical properties of water which help in the ascent of water in xylem.
Answer:
Question:21
Answer:
During summer the water lost is much higher than the amount of water retained.This will cause the plant to wilt if it is not watered in summer. Transpiration during the day will add to the water loss and it is reversible if the water is supplied at the correct time, a long delay will lead to wilting.Question:22
Answer:
Facilitated diffusions the molecular movement and the diffusion of the substance is highly dependent on the liquid solubility. The diffusion cannot happen if the substance has hydrophilic moiety and to facilitate it, the special membrane proteins come to the rescue. As diffusion occurs from a region of high concentration to low concentration,energy is not spent; instead, the process is natural. This process is highly selective and does not allow all substances to pass through.
Question:23
Correct the statements.
(a) Cells shrink in hypotonic solutions and swell in hypertonic solutions.
(b) Imbibition is a special type of diffusion when water is absorbed by living cells.
(c) Most of the water flow in the roots occurs via the symplast.
Answer:
(a) Cells swell in hypotonic solutions and shrink in hypertonic solutions.The detailed answers to the Short Questions are given below:
Question:1
Answer:
Minerals in the soil cannot all be taken by the plant and need to be regulated. The transportation is different, and sometimes it can be active or passive. Passive transportation occurs through the root hairs, where the special membrane proteins present in the epidermal cells regulate the active movement of nutrients. The transport proteins are also present in the endodermal cells, which help in the restricted uptake of nutrients. The proteins in these cells act as guards and allow selective entry of solutes to enter the xylem. Moreover, the endodermis; layer of suberin allows only one direction of transport.
Question:2
Answer:
It helps in understanding the ways and structure in which the transportation of minerals happens. The xylem and its analysis depict that the maximum amount of nitrogen is converted into organic forms to facilitate movement and not in the inorganic form. The xylem and phloem also facilitate the exchange of nutrients, and while sodium and potassium are transported in organic compounds, it is not necessarily a compulsion. Therefore it cannot be determined that the xylem causes only the inorganic substances transportation and the phloem of the organic ones.
Question:3
Answer:
The life of a plant which is cut in a vase can be lengthened by placing the plant in water and watering it regularly, adding extra external nutrients to the water it is placed in as well as the exposure to certain chemicals such as cytokinin hormone to not only increase the life span but also cause the plant growth.
Question:4
Answer:
The number and concentration of stomata, openings of the stomata as well as the water level and the structure of the leaf are the main determinants which regulate the process of transpiration. These differ from plant to plant even if they are growing in the same area and can show different levels of transpiration.
Question:5
Answer:
Water is regarded as the universal solvent, and it dissolves most compounds causing easy transport and absorption. It majorly forms the protoplast and is the primary element of most cells, thus being a part of their composition. The medium for most transportation is water, and it makes the process faster and easier through various membranes and processes.
Availability of nutrients in water is high, which helps the life of many organisms, such as the presence of oxygen. It helps in regulating temperature and processes like pollination and also helps in the relief of heat and regulation of temperature.
Question:6
How is it that the intracellular levels of K+ are higher than extracellular levels in animal cells?
Answer:
A quiescent cell has a quite static membrane potential, and the stage is known as the potential resting stage. The intracellular intensity of K + in the cell membrane is far higher than the animal extracellular levels. This is known as the sodium/proton pump and is caused by positive sodium and potassium ions. For every three positive sodium ions leaving, two positive potassium ions enter, and the positive ions increase and cause the change.
Question:7
Cut pieces of beetroot do not leave colour in cold water but do so in hot water. Explain.
Answer:
In hot water, the plasma membrane of the beetroot leaks and the pigments are loose in the water causing the colouring. The cold water is much lower in temperature,causing no damage to the plasma membrane and no colour is leaked.Question:8
Answer:
Leaves have the ability to facilitate the process of photosynthesis when water is available.Question:9
Answer:
The soil hosts numerous mineral in the form of ions, and these cannot freely move across root walls and membraned due to the difference in the environment and concentration level. The soil has less concentration, and the particles are not permeable through the cell membrane. Therefore diffusion alone does not solve the transport issue.Question:10
How can plants be grown under limited water supply without compromising on metabolic activities?
Answer:
Changes in the water level cause physiological changes in the plant. Transpiration is reduced, and leaves might wilt to conserve water and reduces loss. Thus normal metabolic activities can be continued despite the water shortage.Question:11
Answer:
For the ascent of sap, a lot of factors are considered, such as the pressure of the roots, forces of cohesion and adhesion as well rate of transpiration and the action of the capillary. Adhesion makes the water molecules stick to a surface while cohesion helps the water molecules to stick together to move as one unit, without these forces, the water molecules will lose their tendency, ability, and agility to seamlessly transport nutrients and move disrupting the ascent of sap.
Question:12
Answer:
The coloured strands depict that water has flowed constantly through the stem, and this is due to the forces of cohesion and adhesion. This experiment effectively demonstrates the ascent of water in the stem due to the xylem.Question:13
When a freshly collected Spirogyra filament is kept in a 10% potassium nitrate solution, it is observed that the protoplasm shrinks in size:
(a) What is this phenomenon called?
(b) What will happen if the filament is replaced in distilled water?
Answer:
Ans.Question:14
Sugar crystals do not dissolve easily in ice cold water. Explain.
Answer:
Ans. The lower the temperature, the lesser kinetic energy is possessed by the water. Sugar thus does not dissolve in cold water and will dissolve easily in hotter temperatures.Question:15
Answer:
Salt increases the concentration of the soil, causing the water in the roots to move out through osmosis in order to balance the concentration and leading to excessive water loss. While it can reduce weeds, the application of salt can also be harmful and damage plants and instead should be applied as a solution and not a direct application of salt.Question:16
What is the chemical composition of xylem and phloem sap?
Answer:
The xylem sap constitutes mainly of sulphur and potassium inorganic substances and nitrogen in the organic state. The phloem sap is also a mixture of both, where the food is transported with the help of organic compounds, but the exchange is facilitated by the inorganic substances.Question:17
If you are provided with two tubes (A and B), where one is narrow and the other is relatively wider and if both are immersed in a beaker containing water as shown in the figure given.
Why does B show higher water rise than A?
Answer:
Ans :Question:18
What are 'aquaporins'? How does the presence of aquaporins affect osmosis?
Answer:
The integral membrane proteins are known as aquaporins. They are a part of the MIP- Major Intrinsic Proteins and constitute the pores of the cell membranes which help increase the speed of osmosis.Question:19
ABA (abscisic acid) is called a stress hormone.
(a) How does this hormone overcome stress conditions?
(b) From where does this hormone get released in leaves?
Answer:
(a) ABA helps when the water available is scarce and communicate with the stomata. This causes the stomata to close, thus stopping the process of transpiration and saving the excess loss of water and conserving it instead. This helps regulate stress situations.Question:20
Answer:
Some plants are adapted to survive in conditions with excess water and have features which make the acclimatized to it. The stems of these plants are long and keep them above the surface of the water while it is hollow to facilitate the easy passage of gases and foster growth.Question:21
Differentiate between diffusion and translocation in plants.
Answer:
Question:22
How is facilitated diffusion different from diffusion?
Answer:
Diffusion is with the osmosis process and in the same direction, but facilitated diffusion is in the opposite direction.Question:23
Explain the mass flow hypothesis of transport in the phloem.
Answer:
Mass flow hypothesis is regarded as the pressure-flow hypothesis and is the movement of food along the phloem. The concentration of glucose causes the osmosis gradient to form, and the movement of water is facilitated to the phloem through the xylem to maintain the concentration.
The turgor pressure causes the phloem sap to transport sugar to the sink from the source, and the pressure which plays a key role here is the flow hypothesis. The substance is moved in bulk and is known as the mass flow hypothesis.
Question:24
Observe the diagram and answer the following:
(a) Are these types of guard cells found in monocots or dicots?
(b) Which of these shows a higher water content (i) or (ii)?
(c) Which element plays an important role in the opening and closing of stomata?
Answer:
(a) Bean shaped guard cells are located in dicotsQuestion:25
Define uniport, symport and antiport. Do they require energy?
Answer:
Uniport is the movement characterized when the molecules pass and move across cell membranes irrespective of each other and without being dependant of each other.The detailed answers to the Long Questions are given below:
Question:1
Answer:
There are several elements and nutrients placed and located in the soil, but the plant needs to regulate and adjust the kind of minerals that travel to the xylem.
Some of these ions present in the soil travel from the soil to the root hair, in a passive way. The active transport of ions in the soil is regulated by the epidermal cell special membrane proteins. Transportation of certain proteins can also be facilitated by the endodermal cells, which regulate and allows selective entry of ions. The proteins located in these cells screen and take care of which ions to allow entry. The suberin layer of the endodermis allows transport in only one direction.
Question:2
Answer:
- Temporary wilting is only the temporary change causing a turgidity loss while permanent wilting is a permanent, irreversible loss in turgidity in cells.Question:3
Which of these is a semipermeable membrane (S.P) and which is selectively permeable (S.L)
(a) Animal bladder
(b) Plasmalemma
(c) Tonoplast
(d) Parchment membrane
(e) Egg membrane
Answer:
(a) Animal Bladder - Semi-permeableQuestion:4
Answer:
Halophytes are plants which are conditioned and have adapted to growing in a salt-based and concentrated environment. Concentration in the soil is much higher than the water present in the stem of the plant. Water potential is much less in the soil and can cause excessive water loss of the plant creating a stressful situation. Therefore the plants adapt to this situation by storing high concentrated salts thus increasing the water potential of the soil and causing intake of water. This helps the plant to regulate and maintain its cell composition and pressure.
Question:5
Answer:
To observe the creation of Carbohydrate and the following movement of starch from various parts of the plant to the others, the radiolabelled carbon dioxide is supplied. Photosynthesis occurs in the leaves; the radioactive carbon dioxide will travel to the leave parenchyma.
Following the process of photosynthesis, the radioactive carbon will be the Carbohydrate in the leaves. This can also be proved by the presence of starch which is a by-product of photosynthesis. The carbohydrates soon transform into starch and are moved to the other organs to store it. Thus the radioactive carbon can be detected in the tubers, as the starch is stored in tubers.
Question:6
Answer:
Water is known to be a highly polar molecule; the hydrogen atom is positive by the oxygen atom is negative, which creates the polar charge. Therefore the two atoms attract each other and create a force which is one of the major determinants for or the surface tension that is formed on any liquid, complemented by certain intermolecular forces. This helps the plant to absorb water from the soil through the root and the xylem, eventually reaching the leaves. The forces of cohesion and adhesion help molecules to stick to each other as well as a surface and enable it to be transported in a continuous fashion. All these factors help and assist the ascent of sap.
Question:7
Comment on the experimental setup.
(a) What does the setup demonstrate?
(b) What will happen to the level of water if a blower is placed close to setup.
(c) Will the mercury level fluctuate (go up/ down) if phenyl mercuric acetate is sprayed on leaves?
Answer:
(a) The changes in the process of transpiration due to fluctuation in the wind speed is demonstratedNCERT Exemplar Class 11 Solutions for Other Subjects
Below are a few solved important questions:
Q1. What is the water potential of pure water at standard temperature?
Answer:
The water potential of pure water and the standard temperature is zero.
Q2. Give an example of imbibition.
Answer:
Imbibition is the process through which seeds are able to absorb water and germinate. Example- Swelling of seeds when put in the soil.
Q3. What is guttation?
Answer:
Guttation can only occur in the absence of transpiration, which is at night.
This process releases water droplets while water vapour is lost in the process of
transpiration. Guttation primarily occurs when root pressure forces water through the plant, leading to the exudation of droplets from specialised pores called hydathodes.
Q4. What is the fate of nutrients when a plant undergoes senescence?
Answer:
Whenever a plant undergoes senescence, mineral ions are usually mobilised and relocated for the best use. During senescence, the plant breaks down cellular components, and valuable minerals like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are reabsorbed from older tissues.
Q5. Match the following
A | Leaves | i | Anti-transpirant |
B | Seed | ii | Transpiration |
C | Roots | iii | Negative osmotic potential |
D | Aspirin | iv | Imbibition |
E | Plasmolyzed cell | v | Absorption |
Answer:
Leaves- Transpiration, this is due to the fact that leaves are the main source of conducting the process of transpiration due to the presence of stomata, which aid and regulate the process.
Seed- Imbibition, seeds grow and foster through the process of imbibition, which happens through the retention of water and leads to seed germination.
Roots - absorption, this is due to the reason that roots are the primary way of absorption of nutrients through the soil to nurture the plant and aid in the growth of the shoot.
Aspirin- Anti-transpirant, this fits because aspirin is a metabolic inhibitor, which is a type of anti-transpirant.
Plasmolysed cell pairs with negative osmotic potential as plasmolysis occur due to the hypertonic surroundings, which causes the shrinking of the protoplasm. This creates a negative osmotic potential.
Thus, the correct matching pairs are A—(ii), B—(iv), C—(v), D—(i), E—(iii)
Also, Read NCERT Solution subject wise
Must Read NCERT Notes subject-wise
Studying concepts beyond the NCERT will definitely help in attaining conceptual clarity and will help answer application-based questions, especially for competitive exams or school exams. Some extra concepts that can be studied are:
Concept | NCERT | NEET |
Water Potential and Its Components | ☐ | ✅ |
Apoplast, Symplast and Transmembrane Pathways | ☐ | ✅ |
Pressure Flow Hypothesis in Phloem Transport | ☐ | ✅ |
Role of Aquaporins and Plasmodesmata in Water Transport | ☐ | ✅ |
The NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Biology solutions of this chapter clarify the processes mentioned in the chapter properly. Xylem is found all over the plant and is used for transporting water, whereas Phloem transports food produced by the leaves to the rest of the plant. Simply put, leaves are factories that create food through photosynthesis. They are supplied with water and minerals via Xylem, and as soon as the food is ready, it is exported by Phloem.
The chapterwise links are given below:
In this chapter, transportation of water and mineral in plants are discussed along with transpiration, translocation, and plant water relation.
Yes, these NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Biology Solutions Chapter 11 are designed as per the accepted rule of CBSE.
Yes, our experts have included well labelled and describing diagrams in the NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Biology Chapter 11 Solutions.
Yes, these solutions are very helpful for students who want to prepare better and score well.
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