Biology – 8.1 Transport in plants | e-Consult

The student would observe that the leaves of the plant remain turgid (firm) and the plant does not wilt over the 24 hours. This is because water is continuously being absorbed by the root hair cells and transported up the xylem to the rest of the plant.

This observation supports the statement that water is absorbed by root hair cells because the root hair cells are the primary site of water uptake from the soil. The water absorbed by the root hair cells then travels through the root cortex and into the xylem vessels, facilitating the movement of water throughout the plant. Without the ability of root hair cells to absorb water, the plant would quickly become dehydrated and wilt.