Transport in Plants Xylem and Phloem Activity | Beyond - Free Printable

The image shows a worksheet titled "Transport in Plants". The task involves cutting out descriptions of plant systems and pasting them into the correct columns labeled "Xylem" and "Phloem." Below is an explanation of how to solve this problem, along with the reasoning for each step.

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Step 1: Understand the Function of Xylem and Phloem

- Xylem: This is the vascular tissue responsible for transporting water and dissolved minerals (nutrients) from the roots to other parts of the plant.
- Phloem: This is the vascular tissue responsible for transporting organic nutrients (such as sugars produced during photosynthesis) throughout the plant.

Step 2: Analyze the Descriptions Provided

The descriptions on the worksheet are as follows:
1. Transports water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots.
2. Made up of dead cells that have no cell contents.
3. Made up of living cells that contain cytoplasm.
4. Transports sugars and other organic substances throughout the plant.
5. Consists of sieve tubes and companion cells.
6. The xylem vessels form a continuous network throughout the plant.

Step 3: Match Each Description to Xylem or Phloem

Now, let's match each description based on the functions of xylem and phloem:

#### Descriptions for Xylem:
- 1. Transports water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots.
- This matches the function of xylem, which transports water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.

- 2. Made up of dead cells that have no cell contents.
- Xylem consists of dead cells (tracheids and vessel elements) that have no living contents, allowing them to conduct water efficiently.

- 6. The xylem vessels form a continuous network throughout the plant.
- Xylem forms a continuous network of vessels that allow water and minerals to move throughout the plant.

#### Descriptions for Phloem:
- 3. Made up of living cells that contain cytoplasm.
- Phloem is composed of living cells (sieve tube members) that actively transport organic substances.

- 4. Transports sugars and other organic substances throughout the plant.
- This matches the function of phloem, which transports sugars (produced by photosynthesis) and other organic compounds to various parts of the plant.

- 5. Consists of sieve tubes and companion cells.
- Phloem is made up of sieve tubes (which lack nuclei and cell walls at their ends) and companion cells (which support the sieve tubes).

Step 4: Organize the Descriptions

Based on the analysis above, the completed table should look like this:

| Xylem | Phloem |
|---------------------------------------------------------------