Question

A drooping plant can be made to stand upright by watering the ground around it. Explain.

Short answer

Watering the soil increases turgor pressure in plant cells, making the plant stand upright.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Problem

A drooping plant indicates a lack of turgor pressure in its cells. This is often due to insufficient water in the soil, which results in the plant tissues losing their rigidity and causing the plant to droop.

Role of Water in Plant Structure

Water is crucial for maintaining turgor pressure, which is the pressure of the cell contents against the cell wall. When water is abundant in the soil, it enters the plant cells through osmosis, causing them to swell and become turgid.

How Watering Helps

When the ground around a drooping plant is watered, the plant roots absorb the water, transferring it to the plant cells. This absorption of water helps re-establish turgor pressure in the cells, making the plant regain its upright structure.

Conclusion

By watering the soil, the plant cells regain turgor pressure and the plant stands upright. This process is a simple yet effective way to revive a drooping plant.

Key concepts

osmosis in plants

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.
In plants, this process is essential for transporting water from the soil into the plant roots.
When a plant lacks water, its cells lose turgor pressure and become flaccid, leading to a drooping appearance.

Water in the soil moves into plant roots by osmosis because the concentration of solutes inside the root cells is higher than outside.
This inward flow of water causes the plant cells to swell, which maintains their rigidity and helps the plant remain upright.
If you water the soil around a drooping plant, osmosis will naturally occur, rehydrating the plant cells and restoring their turgor pressure.

Maintaining adequate soil moisture through regular watering is key to ensuring continuous osmosis.
Thus, to keep your plants healthy and upright, always monitor soil moisture and water them as needed.

plant cell structure

Understanding the structure of plant cells helps to appreciate why they need water to stay rigid. Plant cells have a few key components that are essential for this process:

• The cell wall is a rigid layer that provides structure and support.
• The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell.
• The vacuole is a large, water-filled organelle that maintains pressure against the cell wall.

When the vacuoles in the plant cells are full of water, they push against the cell walls, making the cells turgid (firm).
This turgidity is crucial for keeping the plant upright and stable.
However, if the vacuoles lose water due to a shortage in the soil, the cells become flaccid and the plant will droop.
Therefore, regular watering not only helps the vacuoles maintain enough water but also keeps the entire structure of the plant sturdy.

role of water in plants

Water plays several vital roles in plants beyond just maintaining turgor pressure.
Here are some key functions:

• Photosynthesis: Water is an essential ingredient in the photosynthesis process that plants use to create their food.
• Nutrient Transport: Water helps transport nutrients from the soil throughout the plant.
• Temperature Regulation: Transpiration, the process of water evaporating from leaves, helps cool the plant.

Water also supports the biochemical processes necessary for plant growth.
Without enough water, these processes slow down or stop, affecting the plant's overall health.
Regular watering ensures that a plant has sufficient water to perform these critical functions, supporting its growth and development.
By understanding the multifaceted roles of water, you can better appreciate why keeping your plants adequately watered is so important.