Lesson Worksheet: Transpiration

In this worksheet, we will practice describing the process of transpiration and the effect of limitng factors on the
rate of transpiration.
h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLc4JT522VA h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrSa8sfd7A
h:p://www.passmyexams.co.uk/GCSE/biology/measuring-transpira 2on.html
h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nExPxiXbxzs

Measuring Transpiration

A _________potometer________ is used to ______estimate__________

transpiration rates. It actually measures water ____uptake_____________, but it is
assumed that this is directly related to water loss by __transpiration_____________
from the ___leaves_________.

Leaves uptake transpiration estimate potometer

How to use a Potometer

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce-4Q2NxiNE

1. The leafy shoot with a woody stem is cut under water at a slant.

2. The potometer is assembled under water, and the shoot is then inserted under water.

3. The apparatus is removed from the water but the end of the capillary tube is kept
submerged in a beaker of water.

4. The apparatus must be watertight and airtight.

5. The leaves on the leafy shoot are dried, and time is given for the shoot to acclimatise,
then the tap to the reservoir is shut.
 6. The capillary tube is removed from the beaker of water until one air bubble forms
then the capillary tube is placed back in the beaker of water.

7. The starting position of the bubble is recorded, the distance the bubble moves over a
period of time (30 mins/1 hr) is recorded.

8. Other conditions that affect transpiration rates must be kept constant.

Questions

1. The shoot must be kept underwater to;

a. allow air to enter the xylem.

b. prevent air from entering the xylem.

2. The shoot must be cut at a slant to;

a. increase the area for water uptake.

b. decrease the area for water uptake.

3. The potometer is assembled underwater so;

a. air can enter the apparatus.

b. air cannot enter the apparatus.

4. Why is it important that the leaves are dry?

When the leaves are wet, the rate at which they transpire slows
down.___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

5. What are the conditions you should keep constant throughout a control experiment?
__________________________________________________

______ light intensity, temperature, humidity and wind speed.

____________________________________________________

6. If you were to investigate the affect of wind speed on transpiration rate how would
you do this?

_A higher transpiration rate is caused by increased air flow around a plant. The air will be moved
around by the wind and as a result, the more saturated air close to the leaf will be replaced by
the drier air. This increases the rate of transpiration because this means there is less humidity
(limiting factor)_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
7. What would you use to investigate the affect of; a. light intensity and b. heat on
transpiration?
___________________________a) _light such as a lamp_________

b) _____________________

8. If I sprayed water into a clear plastic bag before sealing around a plant what factor
affecting transpiration would I be investigating? ______Humidity____________

Answers

1. b

2. a

3. b

4. If the leaves are wet the rate at which transpiration takes place will decrease.

5. The factors that affect transpiration; humidity, light intensity, temperature and wind
speed.

6. Place the apparatus in front of a fan.

7. i) a lamp ii) a heater

8. humidity

The effect of limi-ng factors on the rate of transpira-on.

h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SSZjvLWcm0
 Rate of
water uptake
= distance of
bubble/time
0.27 mm/s

0.42 mm/s
16/60s =
0.27 mm/s

25/60s =
0.42 mm/s
Q1. Four leaves were removed from the same plant. A waterproofing agent was
spread onto some of the leaves, as follows: • leaf A on both surfaces

• leaf B on the lower surface only • leaf C on the upper

surface only

• leaf D on neither surface.

Each leaf was then placed in a separate beaker, as shown in Diagram 1.

Each beaker was weighed at intervals.

The results are shown in the graph.

(a) Give evidence from the graph when answering the following questions.

(i) Which leaf, A, B, C or D, loses water most rapidly?

D
Evidence ..............

With time, the mass of the beaker and the leaf

decreases......................................................................

...............................................................................................................
(1) (ii) Is water lost from both surfaces of the leaf?

Draw a ring around your answer. Yes / No

Evidence ..............Both, leaves B and C lost water. Because they lost

mass....................................................................

...............................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Diagram 2 shows the appearance of each surface of the leaf as seen through a

microscope.
 (i) Name the spaces labelled X .....................Stomata...........................................
(1)

(ii) Use information in Diagram 2 to explain why the results are different for leaves
B and C.

..........The results are different because the upper surface of the leaf does not
have a stoma. However, the lower surface of the leaf has a stoma. This shows
that most of the water is lost from the lower surface of the leaf since the
stomata is open.................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q2. (a) The diagram shows a section through a plant leaf.

Water evaporates from cell X.
 (i) On the diagram, draw an arrow to show how water vapour from cell X gets out
of the leaf. (1)

(ii) Name the process by which water vapour is lost from a leaf.

Draw a circle around one answer.

osmosis transpiration wilting (1)

(b) The graph shows how much water was lost from a plant at different times of the day.

(i) During which 2-hour period was water lost most quickly? (1)
 13:00 to 15:00....................................................................................................................

(ii) Give one possible explanation why water was lost most quickly at this time.

.......................At 13:00 in the afternoon, it is warmer, thus the sun is higher in

the sky. Therefore, the heat and light are at a maximum peak. Therefore, water
is lost quickly because of
transpiration.....................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q3. A potted plant was left in a hot, brightly lit room for ten hours. The plant was not
watered during this period. The drawings show how the mean width_ of stomata changed
over the ten hour period.

(a) Why do plants need stomata?

.Gaseous exchange...............................................................................................
(1) (b) Name the cells labelled X on the drawing.

..........................................................Guard
cells ...........................................................................
(1
(c) The width of the stomata changed over the ten hour period. Explain the advantage to the plant of
this change.

...............After a period of time, the stomata closes, preventing water from leaving the
plant and reducing transpiration and plant
wilting......................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)
Q4. Some students set up the following apparatus.

The balances show the same mass at the start of the investigation.

After 24 hours the mass of flask B was the same but the mass of flask A had changed.

(ii) Describe and explain the change to the mass of flask A.

....................................In flask A, the water that is taken up to all parts of the plant
evaporates from the leaves through the stomata by a process called transpiration,
this decreases the mass of flask
A..................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3) (ii) Why did the students need to set up flask B?

.........................The students need to set up flask B in order to keep it as a control to

compare with flask
A.............................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 4 marks)
Q5. (a) The diagram shows a cereal crop.

Complete spaces (i) and (ii).

(2)

(i) What sort of weather may cause the cereal crop to wilt?

............................The wind and the dry

weather................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Describe the process of transpiration in plants.

.................Transpiration is the rate of which water is lost through the stomata during
transpiration from the leaves, the rates that affect transpiration are humidity, wind ,
light intensity and
temperature....................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
 (3)
(Total 6 marks)

Transpiration answers

M1. (a) (i) (D)

greatest loss in mass in a given time

1

(ii) (yes)

leaves B and C both lost mass

1

(b) (i) stomata accept

stoma
1
(ii) there are no stomata on upper surface and most water is
lost via stomata
1

so blocking the stomata on leaf B will reduce the water

loss compared with leaf C
1
[5] M2. (a) (i) on diagram:

arrow drawn from cell X, through air space and out through stoma
above stoma
1 (ii) transpiration
1

(b) (i) 13 – 15 ignore

units
1 (ii) any two from:

• warmest / hottest / brightest time of day accept warmer / hotter or sun

higher in sky

• water evaporates fastest

• stomata open / more open

2
[5]

M3. (a) allow carbon dioxide to enter / gaseous exchange (oxygen neutral)
(transpiration neutral)

(b) guard (cells)

 (c) stops / reduces the rate of water loss / transpiration (reject if dark initiated)
stops / reduces wilting / description e.g. drooping / maintains turgor for 1 mark
each
2
[4]

M4. (i) the mass got less

accept it got lighter
award 1 mark for water was lost from the plant
1

water was taken into the plant or roots absorbed water

do not accept soaked into plant1

and lost through transpiration or the leaves or

evaporated from the leaves or stomata
1

(ii) to check the effect of the plant or to act as a control or to show that it was not
due to evaporation from water
do not accept to keep it fair or to check that it was fair
4]

M5. (a) (i) photosynthesis

1

(ii) respiration do not credit

combustion do not
credit decay

(iii) dry (accept hot or windy or drought)

1

(b) any three from

* evaporation (of water) or loss of water vapour

* (mostly) from the leaf / leaves do not credit incorrect reference to leaves

* through the stomata accept through each stoma accept through the stomas(sic)

* causing a pull or causing an increase in osmotic potential (at the top of the plant)
or causing an increase in water potential (at the top of the plant)
or causing a decrease in osmotic pressure (at the top of the
plant)

* (so that) water moves up (through the plant)

do not credit water vapour moves up through the plant

* as the transpiration stream

* water enters through roots (and goes up plants)