Course Description:

Welcome to our Biology Cambridge IGCSE course, meticulously tailored to help you conquer the intricacies of Topic 8: Transport in Plants. This comprehensive course is specifically designed for both Code 0610 and Code 0970 syllabi, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the IGCSE Biology examination.

Course Highlights:

• Comprehensive Core and Supplement Objectives: Master all core and supplement objectives as outlined in the syllabus for theory (papers 1, 2, 3, 4). These objectives provide a solid foundation for exam success.
• Thoroughly Explained Experiments: Gain a deep understanding of practical experiments with detailed explanations. Notes summarize the method, results, interpretation, evaluation, reliability, and conclusion, enabling you to excel in paper 6 questions.

Course Outline & Objectives (Core and Supplement):

1. Xylem and phloem (Lesson 1): Key objectives include:

• State the functions of xylem and phloem: (a) xylem – transport of water and mineral ions, and support (b) phloem – transport of sucrose and amino acids!
• Identify in diagrams and images the position of xylem and phloem as seen in sections of roots, stems, and leaves of non-woody dicotyledonous plants.
• Relate the structure of xylem vessels to their function, limited to (a) thick walls with lignin (details of lignification are not required) (b) no cell contents (c) cells joined end to end with no cross walls to form a long continuous tube.

2. Water Uptake (Lesson 2): Key objectives include:

• Identify in diagrams and images root hair cells and state their functions.
• State that the large surface area of root hairs increases the uptake of water and mineral ions.
• Outline the pathway taken by water through the root, stem, and leaf as root hair cells, root cortex cells, xylem, and mesophyll cells.

3. Transpiration (Lesson 3): Key objectives include:

• Describe transpiration as the loss of water vapor from leaves.
• State that water evaporates from the surfaces of the mesophyll cells into the air spaces and then diffuses out of the leaves through the stomata as water vapor.
• Explain how water vapor loss is related to the large internal surface area provided by the interconnecting air spaces between mesophyll cells and the size and number of stomata.
• Explain the mechanism by which water moves upwards in the xylem in terms of a transpiration pull that draws up a column of water molecules, held together by forces of attraction between water molecules.
• Explain the effects on the rate of transpiration of varying the following factors: temperature, wind speed and humidity.
• Explain how and why wilting occurs.

4. Translocation (Lesson 4): Key objectives include:

• Describe translocation as the movement of sucrose and amino acids in phloem from sources to sinks.
• Describe: (a) sources as the parts of plants that release sucrose or amino acids (b) sinks as the parts of plants that use or store sucrose or amino acids
• Explain why some parts of a plant may act as a source and a sink at different times.
• Explain that bile is an alkaline mixture that neutralizes the acidic mixture of food and gastric juices entering the duodenum from the stomach, to provide a suitable pH for enzyme action.

5. Experiment – Transport in Vascular Bundle (Lesson 5): Key objectives include:

• To investigate the transport of water in vascular bundles.

6. Experiment – Rates of Water Uptake in Different Conditions (Lesson 5): Key objectives include:

• To investigate the rate of water uptake in a plant shoot under different conditions.

7. Experiment – Which Surface of a Leaf Loses More Water Vapor? (Lesson 5): Key objectives include:

• To investigate which side of a leaf loses more water vapor.