Describe the movement of water from the soil to the atmosphere through the leaves.

-Soil particles are surrounded by a film of water containing mineral salts (soil solution); the cell sap inside the root hairs; is more concentrated/ hypertonic than soil water/ soil solution; the cytoplasmic lining of the root hair is semi-permeable; hence water from the soil passes through the semi-permeable cytoplasmic lining into the vacuole of the root hair by osmosis; by addition of extra water the cell sap in the root hair becomes dilute; whereas the cell sap of adjacent cell is hypertonic to the root hair of the root hair; this sets up osmotic pressure; and draws water from the root hair; in this way, water passes from cell to cell of the cortex; until it reaches the xylem which conducts water up the plant; water rises up the stem xylem through capillary; root pressure; adhesion; cohesion; and transpiration pull; in capillarity water tends to move up due to narrowness of the xylem; root pressure due to pressure generated by the root’s endodermis; adhesion due to attraction between the water molecules and vessels; cohesion due to attraction between water molecules preventing water column from breaking; transpiration pull resulting from evaporation of water hence creating a pull/ suction force that pulls a stream of water from the soil; after the water reaches the leaves, it enters the spongy mesophyll cells by osmosis; and move from one cell to another; through osmosis into the sub-stomatal air spaces; where it evaporates into the air;