Question

Keep some freshly cut flowers in a solution of food colour. Wait for sometime for the dye to rise in the flower, when the stem of the flower is held up in light, coloured strands can be seen inside. Can this experiment demonstrate which tissue is conducting water up the stem?

Answer 1

Coloured strands represent the continuous column of water through the stem. We have seen that water molecules make continuous columns because of adhesion-cohesion. We have also seen that water moves through the xylem in plants. Hence, this experiment can demonstrate that xylem is conducting water up the stem.