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Chapter 4 Notes

The document discusses the role of water in plants, highlighting root hair cells and xylem vessels in water absorption and transport, as well as the process of transpiration. It also covers human excretion, focusing on the removal of urea by the kidneys, and the importance of maternal nutrition for a healthy fetus during pregnancy, including the effects of smoking and drug use. Overall, it emphasizes the critical functions of water in plant physiology and the maternal-fetal exchange of nutrients and waste.

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christopher.gyimah
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3 views7 pages

Chapter 4 Notes

The document discusses the role of water in plants, highlighting root hair cells and xylem vessels in water absorption and transport, as well as the process of transpiration. It also covers human excretion, focusing on the removal of urea by the kidneys, and the importance of maternal nutrition for a healthy fetus during pregnancy, including the effects of smoking and drug use. Overall, it emphasizes the critical functions of water in plant physiology and the maternal-fetal exchange of nutrients and waste.

Uploaded by

christopher.gyimah
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

4.1 Plants and water and 4.

2 Transpiration

Root hair cells


-​ Grow out of the roots
-​ a specialized cell: large surface area to increase
absorption of water and mineral ions
-​ Water moves into the root hair cell from the soil,
passing through the cell wall and the cell
membrane into the cytoplasm

Xylem vessels: transport water and mineral ions


from the roots to the rest of the plant
-​ One-way flow! Can only go up
-​ Xylem vessels are dead cells, only have cell
walls
Xylem in roots and stems:

4.2 Transpiration

How water moves through leaves:


Water moves from the xylem vessels into
the leaf cells.
Some of the water is used for
photosynthesis
But most of it evaporates, diffuses into the
air spaces between the cells, and is
eventually lost from the leaves via the
stomata

Transpiration: loss of water vapor from


leaves

Why do plants need water?


1.​Support: vacuoles contain lots of water
which helps keep the cell in shape
2.​Transport: water carries dissolved
mineral ions from the roots to all other
parts of the plant
3.​Cooling: evaporation takes away heat
4.​Photosynthesis: water + carbon dioxide
-> glucose + oxygen
4.3 Excretion in humans

Excretion: getting rid of waste materials (only those


that have been inside cells!! Aka not poop)

Excreting urea:
-​ Too much protein: liver changes it into urea
-​ Too much urea = poisonous
-​ Kidneys in the excretory system remove urea
from the blood
-​ Kidneys: filter blood and remove excess water
from the blood
-​ urine: solution of urea dissolved in water
4.4. Keeping a fetus healthy

Fetus: baby before it's born


Fetus relies on its mother to supply it with everything
it needs to survive

The substances that the fetus needs are brought to it


in the mother’s blood - the two blood systems do not
mix!!

Substances fetus needs diffuse from the mother’s


blood to the fetus’ blood
Substances fetus needs to excrete diffuse from
fetus’ blood to the mother’s blood

Pregnancy and diet:


-​ Protein: needed to help the fetus to produce new
cells and grow
-​ Mother also needs it to make extra
hemoglobin to transport enough oxygen for
herself and the fetus
-​ Carbohydrate: supplies energy via respiration
-​ Vitamins and minerals:
-​ Iron: needed for hemoglobin
-​ Calcium: needed for strong bones of fetus

Smoking cigarettes: carbon monoxide and nicotine


diffuse from the mother’s blood into the fetus’ blood
-​ Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of
oxygen that hemoglobin can transport = less
energy
-​ Nicotine: addictive; damages blood vessels

Drugs: most drugs that a pregnant woman takes will


go into her fetus’ blood too

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