Transpiration

Transpiration is a continuous process caused by the evaporation of water from leaves of plants and its corresponding uptake from roots in the soil. Transpiration cools plants down and enables mass flow of minerals to where it is needed in the plant. Mass flow is caused by the decrease in hydrostatic (water) pressure in the upper parts of the plants due to the diffusion of water out of stomata in to the atmosphere. Water is absorbed at the roots by osmosis, and any dissolved solutes travel with it in the xylem.

See also

• Evapotranspiration
• Transpirational pull
• Measuring transpiration with a Potometer