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how do water move up in tree? what is driving force?
Andrew K Fletcher wrote: Basic theory behind the experiment which caused water to flow 24 metres up a cliff in Brixham, Devon. http://www3.sympatico.ca/slavek.krep...cienceRevw.htm [Hemet] Hi Andrew :-) You have the honor of being a true scientist and experimentalist. Yet you have to answer for some big questions. I agree with Hemet that the theory is not correct. One other thing that it does not explain is how plants have CONTROL over water pumping. Wilting and restoration can be stimulated electrically! I think there are a few hints to this long-time question, but I have never done enough work to generate a bone fide theory about it. Basically I believe that somehow water pumping in plants is an electrical phenomena. (See some of the great work by Prof Bose in his old book) My idea is that there is a REQUIREMENT that sap contain dissolved chemicals because pure distilled water would not be conductive enough nor polar enough to be electrically pumped. If you examine Xylems (tubes through which sap rises) you find very interesting structures. There are cell membranes that exist between a spiral thread of cellulose (insulator) creating a spiral membrane rising up the tube. I suggest (but have not established) that an action potential may travel this membrane such that it creates a pumping action for the fluid in the tube. This action would be similar to the action found in nerves in animals but has a pumping function in plants. Such would explain Bose's electrical reversal of wilting. Also it is already known that tall plants have valves in the xylems which usually do not require sap to be pumped more than a few feet. Just some "new theory" food for thought! Benj |
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