Question

Water is transported upward in a plant through xylem tissue, which consists of cells of 1 mm length and a diameter of 290 µm. The xylem cells are attached to each other to form a channel. To what maximum height can water rise in these xylem channels due to capillarity? For those interested: Confirm this result with a simple experiment: Cut and split the stem of a flower with white petals (e.g., a dahlia or a carnation) and place one half the stem in a glass with dilute red ink and the other half in a glass with dilute blue ink. After several hours the flower will be half red and half blue.

Answer 1

mal by Surface tension of water is S = 0.072753/m2 the height h is given h = 2secoso . POR we can assume that coso= o=0° so that : h= 25* = 2 X0:07275 XR To 3x9.8 x 290 x10-6 = 4X0607275 X 10 3 +6-2 908X2:9 Elio 2 X10-3+6-2-2 =102x18-1m h=10. 2cm