EEB 162 Exam Questions And
Correct Answers
What are the 3 key features of a plant? - Answer Cellulose Cell wall
Chloroplasts
Vacuoles
What are 5 characteristics that might define a good model plant for genetics and
physiology? - Answer 1. Short generation time
2. Growing costs low, grow lots in small space
3. Sequenced Genome
4. Easy to Manipulate
5. Self Fertilizing
What is a good model plant? - Answer Arabidopsis
Zea Mays
Antirrhinum
Brassica
What is the difference between apoplast and symplast? - Answer Symplast: This
pathway involves the movement of water through the cytoplasm from cell to cell via
plasma membranes and plasmodesmata
Apoplast: This pathway involves the movement of water outside of protoplast cell walls
from cell to cell via spaces in the cellulose cell walls until it reaches the endodermis.
Which is a better system to conduct water? - Answer Apoplast because it doesn't have
to cross cell membranes.
Which is a better system to conduct large biomolecules? - Answer Symplast the
movement of these large biomolecules will be in a controlled manner. In apoplast, they
will spread everywhere and waste energy.
What are the 3 major kind of plant tissues and their functions? - Answer I) Dermal
Tissue: Protection
a) Epidermis: Single layer of cells
,b) Cuticle: Waxy layer to prevent water loss
c) Guard Cells: Regulate gas exchange in stomata
d) Root hairs: Increase surface area and water uptake
II) Ground Tissue: Metabolic processes, structural and mechanical support
a) Parenchyma: Metabolically active cells functional in metabolism and photosynthesis
b) Collenchyma: Narrow, elongated cells w/ thick primary walls for structural support
for the growing plant body
c) Schlerenchyma: Consists of schlerieds and fibers w/ thick secondary cell walls.
Provides mechanical support for non-elongating parts of plants
III) Vascular Tissue: Transport
a) Xylem: Functions in conduction of water and nutrients. Composed of Tracheid
(gymnosperms) and vessels (angiosperms). Xylem contains parenchyma and
schlerenchyma
b) Phloem: functions in conduction of sugars and signal molecules. Made of Sieve cells
(gymnosperms) and Sieve tubes (angiosperm); parenchyma and fibers are present.
Do xylem cells have chloroplasts? - Answer No
How many gymnosperms species are there? - Answer 700 species
How many angiosperms species are there? - Answer 250,000 species
What kind of diversity in growth forms? - Answer Plant varies in growth form such as
trees, shrub, herb, and climbers.
They also vary in living habit such as clonal population, epiphytes(plants grow on other
plants), or carnivorous.
What kind of diversity in physiology? - Answer - Exhibit different metabolism such as C3,
C4, and CAM photosynthesis
-In nutrient and pigment concentrations, hormone sensitivity, flowering cues.
- In all aspects of structure: wide variation in cell sizes in each tissue, leave size, and
colors.
What kind of diversity in adaptation to different habitats? - Answer - Irradiance habitats:
Plants thriving from <1% to 100% full daylight; difference in light needed
- Moisture supplies: Plants exist on chronically dry soil, on ever-wet soil, or submerged
in water
, - Temperature range: Plants exist where temperature reaches <-40C and greater than
40C
What are 3 reasons plants need water and which reason accounts for the bulk of water
being used? - Answer 1. Transpiration: This accounts for the bulk of water being used. It
cools the plants by dissipating heat energy via evaporation of water. Opens stomata to
access CO2, but lose water as a side effect.
2. Plant Growth: Tissue expansion via turgor pressure, structural support
3. Photosynthesis: Insufficient water will close stomata and prevent photosynthesis
(4,5) Water is also important to crop yields and cools the leaf
Why is transpirational cooling effective? - Answer The evaporation of water utilizes a
high heat of vaporization and high specific heat. Thus, it takes a lot of energy to increase
the temperature of water. This allows the plants to stay under bright sunlight and be a
few degrees cooler than air.
What is the equation for water rise in capillaries? - Answer 14.9x10^-6 m^2 / radius
Explain the 4 properties of water, give the basis for each, and why these properties are
important for plant life - Answer 1. Water is a supersolvent: This is due to the small size
of molecules and its polar nature. This allows for the stabilization of ions and increase in
solubility
2. Water has a High Specific Heat: This is due to H bonding. This helps the plant not burn
because a large amount of thermal energy is required to break the H bonds. There is
also a high latent heat of vaporization
3. Water has a High Tensile Strength: Cohesion allows for this property and pulls water
up like a rope. H bonding allows for water to be strongly attracted to each other.
4. Water has a high surface tension: Air water interface minimizes surface area. High
surface tension leads to minimizing air water interface which minimizes water's surface
area.
What is formula for pressure? - Answer P= 2T/r
Explain Diffusion - Answer This is a form of water transport that is important for
transpiration from leaves to air, movement of solutes within cells, movement of signal
molecules across plasmodesmata.
Requires concentration gradient and diffusion coefficient.
Very rapid over short distances but slow over long distance
L^2/D, where L is distance.
Explain Bulk flow - Answer -Important for movement of sap in xylem and phloem through
Correct Answers
What are the 3 key features of a plant? - Answer Cellulose Cell wall
Chloroplasts
Vacuoles
What are 5 characteristics that might define a good model plant for genetics and
physiology? - Answer 1. Short generation time
2. Growing costs low, grow lots in small space
3. Sequenced Genome
4. Easy to Manipulate
5. Self Fertilizing
What is a good model plant? - Answer Arabidopsis
Zea Mays
Antirrhinum
Brassica
What is the difference between apoplast and symplast? - Answer Symplast: This
pathway involves the movement of water through the cytoplasm from cell to cell via
plasma membranes and plasmodesmata
Apoplast: This pathway involves the movement of water outside of protoplast cell walls
from cell to cell via spaces in the cellulose cell walls until it reaches the endodermis.
Which is a better system to conduct water? - Answer Apoplast because it doesn't have
to cross cell membranes.
Which is a better system to conduct large biomolecules? - Answer Symplast the
movement of these large biomolecules will be in a controlled manner. In apoplast, they
will spread everywhere and waste energy.
What are the 3 major kind of plant tissues and their functions? - Answer I) Dermal
Tissue: Protection
a) Epidermis: Single layer of cells
,b) Cuticle: Waxy layer to prevent water loss
c) Guard Cells: Regulate gas exchange in stomata
d) Root hairs: Increase surface area and water uptake
II) Ground Tissue: Metabolic processes, structural and mechanical support
a) Parenchyma: Metabolically active cells functional in metabolism and photosynthesis
b) Collenchyma: Narrow, elongated cells w/ thick primary walls for structural support
for the growing plant body
c) Schlerenchyma: Consists of schlerieds and fibers w/ thick secondary cell walls.
Provides mechanical support for non-elongating parts of plants
III) Vascular Tissue: Transport
a) Xylem: Functions in conduction of water and nutrients. Composed of Tracheid
(gymnosperms) and vessels (angiosperms). Xylem contains parenchyma and
schlerenchyma
b) Phloem: functions in conduction of sugars and signal molecules. Made of Sieve cells
(gymnosperms) and Sieve tubes (angiosperm); parenchyma and fibers are present.
Do xylem cells have chloroplasts? - Answer No
How many gymnosperms species are there? - Answer 700 species
How many angiosperms species are there? - Answer 250,000 species
What kind of diversity in growth forms? - Answer Plant varies in growth form such as
trees, shrub, herb, and climbers.
They also vary in living habit such as clonal population, epiphytes(plants grow on other
plants), or carnivorous.
What kind of diversity in physiology? - Answer - Exhibit different metabolism such as C3,
C4, and CAM photosynthesis
-In nutrient and pigment concentrations, hormone sensitivity, flowering cues.
- In all aspects of structure: wide variation in cell sizes in each tissue, leave size, and
colors.
What kind of diversity in adaptation to different habitats? - Answer - Irradiance habitats:
Plants thriving from <1% to 100% full daylight; difference in light needed
- Moisture supplies: Plants exist on chronically dry soil, on ever-wet soil, or submerged
in water
, - Temperature range: Plants exist where temperature reaches <-40C and greater than
40C
What are 3 reasons plants need water and which reason accounts for the bulk of water
being used? - Answer 1. Transpiration: This accounts for the bulk of water being used. It
cools the plants by dissipating heat energy via evaporation of water. Opens stomata to
access CO2, but lose water as a side effect.
2. Plant Growth: Tissue expansion via turgor pressure, structural support
3. Photosynthesis: Insufficient water will close stomata and prevent photosynthesis
(4,5) Water is also important to crop yields and cools the leaf
Why is transpirational cooling effective? - Answer The evaporation of water utilizes a
high heat of vaporization and high specific heat. Thus, it takes a lot of energy to increase
the temperature of water. This allows the plants to stay under bright sunlight and be a
few degrees cooler than air.
What is the equation for water rise in capillaries? - Answer 14.9x10^-6 m^2 / radius
Explain the 4 properties of water, give the basis for each, and why these properties are
important for plant life - Answer 1. Water is a supersolvent: This is due to the small size
of molecules and its polar nature. This allows for the stabilization of ions and increase in
solubility
2. Water has a High Specific Heat: This is due to H bonding. This helps the plant not burn
because a large amount of thermal energy is required to break the H bonds. There is
also a high latent heat of vaporization
3. Water has a High Tensile Strength: Cohesion allows for this property and pulls water
up like a rope. H bonding allows for water to be strongly attracted to each other.
4. Water has a high surface tension: Air water interface minimizes surface area. High
surface tension leads to minimizing air water interface which minimizes water's surface
area.
What is formula for pressure? - Answer P= 2T/r
Explain Diffusion - Answer This is a form of water transport that is important for
transpiration from leaves to air, movement of solutes within cells, movement of signal
molecules across plasmodesmata.
Requires concentration gradient and diffusion coefficient.
Very rapid over short distances but slow over long distance
L^2/D, where L is distance.
Explain Bulk flow - Answer -Important for movement of sap in xylem and phloem through
