Plant transport vessels worksheet - Free Printable

Problem Analysis:

The task involves comparing the features of xylem and phloem, two types of vascular tissues in plants responsible for transport. The table requires filling in specific characteristics for each tissue, and there is also a diagram identification section.

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Solution:

#### 1. Complete the Table Comparing Xylem and Phloem

| FEATURE | XYLEM | PHLOEM |
|----------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| Cells LIVING or DEAD? | DEAD | LIVING |
| Lignin PRESENT or ABSENT? | PRESENT | ABSENT |
| End walls broken down PARTIALLY or COMPLETELY? | COMPLETELY | PARTIALLY |
| Are cells completely empty? NO or YES. | YES | NO |
| ONE or TWO types of cells? | ONE | TWO |
| Companion cells PRESENT or ABSENT? | ABSENT | PRESENT |
| Are substances transported DOWN or UP? | DOWN | UP |
| Name pf substances transported | W (Water) and M (Minerals)| S (Solutes/Sugars) |

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#### Explanation of Each Feature:

1. Cells LIVING or DEAD?
- Xylem: Dead cells. Xylem vessels are made up of dead cells that form hollow tubes for water transport.
- Phloem: Living cells. Phloem consists of sieve tube elements and companion cells, both of which are alive during their functional phase.

2. Lignin PRESENT or ABSENT?
- Xylem: Present. Xylem cells are lignified, meaning they have a secondary cell wall reinforced with lignin, which provides strength for water transport under tension.
- Phloem: Absent. Phloem cells do not contain lignin, allowing them to remain flexible for the transport of organic solutes.

3. End walls broken down PARTIALLY or COMPLETELY?
- Xylem: Completely. Xylem vessels are formed by the breakdown of end walls between cells, creating continuous hollow tubes.
- Phloem: Partially. In phloem, the end walls are perforated but not completely broken down, forming sieve plates through which substances move.

4. Are cells completely empty? NO or YES.
- Xylem: Yes. Xylem cells lose their cytoplasm and organelles during maturation, becoming hollow tubes.
- Phloem: No. Phloem sieve tube elements retain some cytoplasm and organelles, although they lack nuclei and other structures.

5. ONE or TWO types of cells?
- Xylem: One. Xylem consists primarily of tracheids and vessel elements, which are structurally similar.
- Phloem: Two. Phloem consists of sieve tube elements and companion cells, which work together for transport.

6. Companion cells PRESENT or ABSENT?
- Xylem: Absent. Xylem does not have companion cells.
- Phloem: Present. Companion cells support sieve tube elements by providing metabolic functions since sieve tube elements lack nuclei.

7. Are substances transported DOWN or UP?
- Xylem: Down. Water and minerals are transported from roots to leaves via xylem.
- Phloem: Up. Organic solutes (e.g., sugars) are transported from source to sink regions (often upward from leaves to roots).

8. Name pf substances transported
- Xylem: Water (W) and Minerals (M).
- Phloem: Solutes (S), such as sugars and other organic compounds.

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#### 2. Beneath Each Diagram, Write XYLEM or PHLOEM

- Diagram 1: This shows a structure with thickened, lignified walls and no visible contents, indicating it is a xylem vessel.
- Answer: XYLEM

- Diagram 2: This shows a structure with interconnected cells having perforated end walls, characteristic of phloem sieve tube elements.
- Answer: PHLOEM

- Diagram 3: This shows elongated cells with thickened walls, typical of xylem tracheids.
- Answer: XYLEM

- Diagram 4: This shows a cluster of cells with one large cell (sieve tube element) and smaller cells (companion cells), characteristic of phloem.
- Answer: PHLOEM

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Final Answer:

1. Table Filled:
- Xylem: Dead, Present, Completely, Yes, One, Absent, Down, Water (W) and Minerals (M)
- Phloem: Living, Absent, Partially, No, Two, Present, Up, Solutes (S)

2. Diagrams Identified:
- Diagram 1: XYLEM
- Diagram 2: PHLOEM
- Diagram 3: XYLEM
- Diagram 4: PHLOEM

Final Answer Boxed:
\boxed{
\begin{array}{c|c|c}
\text{FEATURE} & \text{XYLEM} & \text{PHLOEM} \\
\hline
\text{Cells LIVING or DEAD?} & \text{DEAD} & \text{LIVING} \\
\text{Lignin PRESENT or ABSENT?} & \text{PRESENT} & \text{ABSENT} \\
\text{End walls broken down PARTIALLY or COMPLETELY?} & \text{COMPLETELY} & \text{PARTIALLY} \\
\text{Are cells completely empty? NO or YES.} & \text{YES} & \text{NO} \\
\text{ONE or TWO types of cells?} & \text{ONE} & \text{TWO} \\
\text{Companion cells PRESENT or ABSENT?} & \text{ABSENT} & \text{PRESENT} \\
\text{Are substances transported DOWN or UP?} & \text{DOWN} & \text{UP} \\
\text{Name pf substances transported} & \text{W (Water) and M (Minerals)} & \text{S (Solutes/Sugars)} \\
\end{array}
}
\boxed{\text{Diagram 1: XYLEM, Diagram 2: PHLOEM, Diagram 3: XYLEM, Diagram 4: PHLOEM}}