Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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Transport in the Xylem of Plants (DP IB Biology: HL)

Exam Questions

3 hours35 questions
1
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1 mark

In plants, which two substances does the xylem carry primarily?

  • Water and sugars

  • Sugars and mineral ions

  • Water and mineral ions

  • Starch and mineral ions

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2
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1 mark

Which of the following is not a consequence of the transpiration stream in plants?

  • An increased rate of photosynthesis

  • Plants remaining upright

  • The plant retaining heat

  • Supply of mineral ions to plant tissues

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3
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1 mark

Which row of the table best summarises the interaction of water molecules during water uptake by a plant?

  Water molecules pulling each other up Water molecules sticking to the xylem walls Capillary action
A. cohesion adhesion adhesion
B. cohesion cohesion adhesion
C. adhesion adhesion cohesion
D. cohesion cohesion cohesion

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    4
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    1 mark

    Which of the following is not a water-saving adaptation found in xerophytic plants?

    • Sunken stomata

    • High density of chloroplasts

    • Rolled leaves

    • Widespread root network

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    5
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    1 mark

    Which row of the table gives the best summary of the conditions in which mineral ions are taken up by plant roots?

      Osmolarity in soil Osmolarity in root hair cell cytoplasm Transport mechanism
    A. Low High Water channels across membrane
    B. High Low Transporter proteins
    C. High High Via membrane bilayer
    D. Low High Transporter proteins

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      11 mark

      Identify the set of conditions under which transpiration would occur at the slowest rate.

       

      Humidity

      Temperature

      Air movement

      Light intensity

      A

      Low

      Low

      Low

      Low

      B

      High

      Low

      Low

      Low

      C

      High

      High

      Low

      Low

      D

      High

      Low

      High

      Low

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        21 mark

        When a very narrow glass tube known as a capillary tube is dipped into water, water can flow up the tube despite the opposing force of gravity.

        What is this model demonstrating?

        • Translocation

        • A hydrostatic pressure gradient

        • Cohesion between water molecules

        • Adhesion between water molecules

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        31 mark

        The following steps describe the process of transpiration.

        1. Water is drawn from xylem vessels to replace the water lost
        2. A pulling force is transmitted throughout the xylem vessels all the way down the stem of the plant and to the ends of the xylem in the roots
        3. Water evaporates from the surfaces of cells inside a leaf
        4. A low pressure is generated within the xylem

        What is the correct order of the steps?

        • III → II → IV → I

        • III → I → IV → II

        • I → III → IV → II

        • I → IV → III → II

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        41 mark

        Which of the following relates to xylem vessels?

        1. Transport organic compounds from source to sink
        2. Transport mineral ions from roots to leaves
        3. Provides mechanical support to the plant
        4. Closely associated with companion cells to assist with loading of sucrose
        • I only

        • II and III only

        • I, II and III

        • III and IV only

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        51 mark

        A student drew a diagrammatic representation of a transverse section of a plant stem based on what they saw using a light microscope.q5_9-1_transport_in_the_xylem_of_plants_ib_biology_hl_mcq

        Identify the correct labels required for the drawing above.

         

        I

        II

        III

        IV

        V

        A

        Vascular bundle

        Pith

        Phloem

        Cambium

        Xylem

        B

        Phloem

        Xylem

        Vascular bundle

        Cambium

        Pith

        C

        Vascular bundle

        Xylem

        Pith

        Cambium

        Phloem

        D

        Vascular bundle

        Cambium

        Pith

         Xylem

        Phloem

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          61 mark

          Identify which of the adaptations below is not found amongst the group of plants known as xerophytes.

          • Having long hairs on their surface, so air moisture is absorbed at night

          • Having reduced leaves in the form of spines, so the surface area for transpiration is reduced

          • Having reduced numbers of stomata, so there are fewer pores through which water can be lost

          • Having hinge cells that shrink when flaccid, so the leaves roll up

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          71 mark

          When water is taken up by roots, what process is responsible for this and what is the cause behind this process?

           

          Process

          Cause

          A

          Cohesion

          The concentration of solutes in the soil is higher than in the roots

          B

          Cohesion

          The concentration of solutes in the soil is lower than in the roots

          C

          Osmosis

          The concentration of solutes in the soil is higher than in the roots

          D

          Osmosis

          The concentration of solutes in the soil is lower than in the roots

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            81 mark

            What does a potometer measure?

            • The rate of photosynthesis of a plant

            • The rate of water uptake of a plant

            • The rate of respiration of a plant

            • The rate of transpiration of a plant

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            91 mark

            Certain environmental factors can affect the rate of transpiration in plants. The effect of one environmental factor on transpiration rate is shown in the graph below.q9_9-1_transport_in_the_xylem_of_plants_ib_biology_hl_mcq

            Identify the environmental factor that is having this effect on transpiration rate.

            • Temperature

            • Humidity

            • Air movement

            • Light intensity

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            101 mark

            Identify the process by which mineral ions in soil move towards the root cell membrane.

            • Translocation

            • Transport through proteins known as protein pumps

            • Osmosis

            • Mass flow of water

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            1
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            1 mark

            Which of these is not a function of plasmodesmata in plant cells?

            • To allow movement of water via the symplast pathway

            • To enable cell recognition

            • To allow communication between cells

            • To allow movement of nutrients between cells

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            2
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            1 mark

            Certain plants have developed a mutualistic relationship with soil fungi, in which the plant provides sugars to the fungus for respiration.

            In what way does the plant receive a benefit in return?

            • The fungus helps to stabilise the plant's root network in poor / stony soils.

            • The fungus acts like a sponge to retain water in dry soils after (infrequent) rainfall.

            • The fungus fixes atmospheric nitrogen and supplies nitrate ions to the plant. 

            • The fungus accesses mineral ions in mineral-deficient soils and supplies them to the plant's roots.

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            3
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            1 mark

            Which table gives the most accurate summary of the movement of water via the apoplast and symplast pathways?

            •   Apoplast pathway Symplast pathway
              Route travelled Cell walls Cytoplasm
              Speed of flow Slow Fast
              Method of flow Mass flow Osmosis
              Volume of water transported Low High
            •   Apoplast pathway Symplast pathway
              Route travelled Cell walls Cytoplasm
              Speed of flow Fast Slow
              Method of flow Mass flow Osmosis
              Volume of water transported High Low
            •   Apoplast pathway Symplast pathway
              Route travelled Cytoplasm Cell walls
              Speed of flow Fast Slow
              Method of flow Mass flow Osmosis
              Volume of water transported High Low
            •   Apoplast pathway Symplast pathway
              Route travelled Cell walls Cytoplasm
              Speed of flow Fast Slow
              Method of flow Osmosis Mass flow
              Volume of water transported High Low

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            4
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            1 mark

            The following data were gathered from an experiment into the rate of transpiration in samples of plants in the genus Coelus, commonly grown by gardeners for herbaceous borders. Coelus grows easily in UK gardens and thrives in the relatively high rainfall that the UK experiences. 9-1_q4h1

            Marram grass is a xerophyte that is found on sand dunes and other fast-draining soils in coastal areas. The same experimental set-up was repeated with marram grass. 

            Which graph of A - D would be the most likely graph for a comparable experiment carried out on marram grass?

            • 9-1_q4ha

            • 9-1_q4hb

            • 9-1_q4hc

            • 9-1_q4hd

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            5
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            1 mark

            The diagram shows a potometer set up to measure the rate of transpiration in a piece of cut plant. 

            potometer

            For a potometer with a cylindrical capillary of the internal diameter of d mm, the bubble was measured to travel h mm in an experimental time of s seconds. 

            Which is the correct formula to calculate the rate of transpiration (as a volume of water uptake per unit time) in this experiment?

            • fraction numerator pi italic space d to the power of italic 2 h over denominator s end fraction

            • pi italic space d to the power of italic 2 h space s

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