Deck 36: Roots and Mineral Nutrition

Question 1

Which of the following statements about a root cap is false ?

A) It protects the delicate root apical meristem.
B) It secretes lubricating polysaccharides.
C) It orients the root that it grows downward.
D) It loses cells during root growth.
E) It absorbs nutrients.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Roots of many plants in arid regions store ______:

A) amino acids
B) water
C) carbon dioxide
D) oxygen
E) fats

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following protects the delicate cells of the apical meristem?

A) Root hair
B) Root cap
C) Radicle
D) Epidermis
E) Sieve tube

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The difference between taproot and fibrous root systems is that a taproot system:

A) consists of many roots of the same size, while a fibrous root system has one main root with lateral roots.
B) consists of one main root with lateral roots, while a fibrous root system has many roots of the same size.
C) is characteristic of most monocots, while a fibrous root system is usually found in eudicots.
D) can be modified for storage, while a fibrous root system cannot.
E) is considered adventitious, while a fibrous root system is not.

Question 5

The symplast:

A) greatly increases the surface area of the root.
B) is a waterproof band surrounding the endodermis.
C) is a continuum of living cytoplasm.
D) secretes suberin, which waterproofs the cells.
E) allows nutrient minerals to move against their concentration gradient.

Question 6

The bulk of an herbaceous eudicot root consists of loosely arranged parenchyma cells in the:

A) endodermis.
B) pericycle.
C) epidermis.
D) cortex.
E) periderm.

Question 7

In eudicot roots, the last mode of water and mineral transport occurs from the ____ to ______.

A) endodermis; xylem
B) periderm; pericycle
C) cortex; endodermis
D) epidermis; cortex
E) pericycle; xylem

Question 8

Which statement concerning the root epidermis is true?

A) It does not secrete a waxy cuticle over the root hairs.
B) It consists of protective tissue several layers thick.
C) It contains large intercellular spaces among the cells.
D) It comprises the bulk of the eudicot root.
E) It is the site of storage of surplus sugars produced in the leaves.

Question 9

Unlike eudicot roots, the center of most monocot roots is occupied by the:

A) cortex.
B) pith.
C) phloem.
D) vascular cambium.
E) xylem.

Question 10

The seedling's radicle is the origin of roots in a(n) _____ system.

A) adventitious root
B) lateral root
C) taproot
D) fine root
E) indigenous root

Question 11

Which of the following consists of the interconnected porous cell walls of a plant along which water and mineral ions move freely?

A) Symplast
B) Chloroplast
C) Plasmodesmata
D) Apoplast
E) Endodermis

Question 12

The ground tissue lacking in the primary eudicot root is:

A) pith.
B) periderm.
C) cortex.
D) vascular cambium.
E) pericycle.

Question 13

The ____ is involved in forming the lateral meristems that produce secondary growth in woody roots.

A) endodermis
B) periderm
C) cortex
D) vascular cambium
E) pericycle

Question 14

The large intercellular spaces, common features of the root cortex, provide:

A) a pathway for water uptake.
B) aeration of the root.
C) structural support.
D) protection.
E) aeration and a pathway for water uptake

Question 15

Root hairs are:

A) flattened extensions of epidermal cells.
B) formed once in the area of cell maturation.
C) small in number.
D) located in front of the root tip.
E) short-lived.

Question 16

Minerals move into endodermal cells via:

A) osmosis.
B) simple diffusion.
C) facilitated diffusion.
D) aquaporins.
E) active transport.

Question 17

The center of a primary eudicot root is known as the:

A) phloem.
B) symplast.
C) cortex.
D) pericycle.
E) stele.

Question 18

The thick layers of cells covering and protecting the delicate apical meristem is called the:

A) root cap.
B) root hairs.
C) pericycle.
D) adventitious root.
E) radicle.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about the pericycle is false ?

A) It gives rise to branch roots.
B) It is a single layer of cells inside the endodermis.
C) It is composed of parenchyma cells.
D) Its cells lose their ability to divide upon maturation.
E) It is involved in the formation of lateral meristems.

Question 20

Which is the correct horizontal pathway of water from the soil to the center of the root?

A) Epidermis → root hair → cortex → pericycle → endodermis → xylem
B) Epidermis → cortex → pericycle → endodermis → phloem → xylem
C) Root hair → epidermis → cortex → endodermis → pericycle → xylem
D) Root hair → cortex → endodermis → pericycle → epidermis → xylem
E) Root hair → epidermis → endodermis → cortex → xylem → phloem

Question 21

Which statement with regard to pore spaces is false ?

A) Minerals are removed from soil via leaching.
B) Water is held in the smaller pores, and air is found in the larger pores.
C) They occupy approximately 50% of a soil's volume.
D) They typically contain more carbon dioxide than found in the atmosphere.
E) Immediately after a heavy rain, most pore spaces remain filled with air.

Question 22

In low nitrogen soils, rhizobacteria secrete ____ to help root hairs recognize them.

A) cytokin
B) flavonoids
C) nod factors
D) calcium
E) water

Question 23

What group of organisms secretes acids into soil?

A) Bacteria
B) Earthworms
C) Fungi
D) Lichens
E) Algae

Question 24

Which of the following plants would have photosynthetic roots?

A) Palm trees
B) Orchids
C) Corn
D) Mangrove trees
E) Mistletoe

Question 25

Water enters endodermal cells by _____ directly across the lipid and through integral membrane proteins called ____.

A) osmosis; aquaporins
B) countertransport; exchangers
C) osmosis; ATP pumps
D) active transport; ATP pumps
E) carrier-mediated transport; cotransporters

Question 26

Plants connected by mycorrhizal fungi:

A) must be of the same species.
B) can only exchange carbon dioxide in one direction.
C) are an excellent example of a parasitic relationship.
D) compete for light.
E) exchange organic materials in both directions.

Question 27

Prop roots are more common in:

A) annuals.
B) eudicots.
C) monocots.
D) epiphytes.
E) parasitic plants.

Question 28

Rhizobia take ____ from the air and convert it into ____.

A) N₂; NH₃
B) CO₂; C₆H₁₂O₆
C) O₂; H₂O
D) NH₃; NO₃
E) P; ATP

Question 29

In the establishment of rhizobia in a legume, infection threads are found in the:

A) stele.
B) cortex.
C) root hairs.
D) xylem.
E) phloem.

Question 30

The most abundant organisms in soil are:

A) earthworms.
B) fungi.
C) algae.
D) protozoa.
E) bacteria.

Question 31

Roots that arise from branches or vertical stems, and that are used to support a plant in an upright position, are referred to as:

A) prop roots.
B) contractile roots.
C) pneumatophores.
D) lateral roots.
E) tap roots.

Question 32

Figure 36-1 Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s). ​

Refer to the accompanying figure. During the development of secondary vascular tissues, which of the following structures is replaced by periderm?

A) 1
B) 3
C) 5
D) 6
E) 7

Question 33

The partly decayed organic portion of soil is called:

A) silt.
B) clay.
C) sand.
D) humus.
E) castings.

Question 34

Plants that are adapted to growing in flooded soils that are depleted of oxygen have:

A) aerial roots.
B) contractile roots.
C) pneumatophores.
D) prop roots.
E) buttress roots.

Question 35

Which list correctly orders soil particles in increasing diameter?

A) Clay, sand, silt
B) Clay, silt, sand
C) Silt, sand, clay
D) Silt, clay, sand
E) sand, silt, clay

Question 36

Which pair demonstrates a mutualistic relationship?

A) Orchid and its host
B) Rhizobia and strawberry plants
C) Soil fungus and soil bacteria
D) Mistletoe and its host
E) Mychorrhizae and roots

Question 37

Figure 36-1 Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s). ​

Refer to the accompanying figure. The endodermis is the structure labeled as:

A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6
E) 7

Question 38

The ideal agricultural soil is:

A) loam.
B) silt.
C) sand.
D) clay.
E) dry.

Question 39

Epiphytes have ____ that anchor the plants to the surface on which they grow.

A) pneumatophores
B) buttress roots
C) prop roots
D) aerial roots
E) root hairs

Question 40

Which of the following statements about soil pH is true ?

A) Aluminum is more soluble at high pH.
B) Calcium phosphate becomes less soluble at low pH.
C) Acidic soil can be found in Pygmy forest in California.
D) Soils in Death Valley California are acidic.
E) Manganese is more soluble at low pH.

Question 41

Cation exchange between soil particles and root hairs is the process in which:

A) protons are exchanged for positively charged mineral ions.
B) electrons are exchanged for positively charged mineral ions.
C) protons are exchanged for negatively charged mineral ions.
D) electrons are exchanged for negatively charged mineral ions.
E) water is exchanged for positively charged mineral ions.

Question 42

Which element is correctly matched with its major function in plants?

A) Phosphorus-alters membrane permeability
B) Sulfur-essential part of chlorophyll
C) Potassium-opens and closes stomata
D) Carbon-maintains turgidity of cells
E) Calcium-involved in nitrogen fixation

Question 43

Which of the following statements about acid precipitation is false ?

A) It can decrease soil pH.
B) It is implicated in forest decline.
C) It drops sulfuric and nitric acids on the Earth.
D) It is caused by human activities.
E) It prevents the leaching of essential cations.

Question 44

Which list of elements below is present in all biomolecules in plants?

A) Sulfur, silicon, and calcium
B) Oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon
C) Chlorine, iron, and zinc
D) Phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon
E) Potassium, oxygen, and magnesium

Question 45

While working in a soil-testing laboratory, you are given a sample of a "typical" soil to analyze. Which of the following do you correctly conclude is present in the largest amount?

A) Water
B) Inorganic mineral particles
C) Rocks
D) Air
E) Organic material

Question 46

Which element is a micronutrient in plants?

A) Chlorine
B) Hydrogen
C) Potassium
D) Calcium
E) Magnesium

Question 47

The water balance problem of plants living in salty soil is the result of:

A) water moving out of plant roots by osmosis.
B) extensive leaching.
C) a low soil pH.
D) low concentrations of micronutrients.
E) excessive run off.

Question 48

Which crops can be easily grown hydroponically?

A) Potatoes
B) Carrots
C) Corn
D) Lettuce
E) Zucchini

Question 49

What three elements are most often limiting factors for plant growth?

A) Carbon, potassium, and magnesium
B) Carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen
C) Hydrogen, magnesium, and oxygen
D) Sulfur, calcium, and nitrogen
E) Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

Question 50

The two major factors that contribute to the weathering of rock are climate and:

A) inorganic minerals.
B) atmospheric carbon dioxide.
C) organisms.
D) aeration.
E) atmospheric oxygen..

Question 51

Explain how you would distinguish a monocot from a eudicot by looking at the anatomy of their roots.

Question 52

What are secondary tissues and how are they formed?

Question 53

Water, wind, and ice are agents of:

A) erosion.
B) decomposition.
C) mineralization.
D) salinization.
E) soil pH.

Question 54

Irrigation can cause salt to accumulate in the soil, a process known as:

A) erosion.
B) decomposition.
C) mineralization.
D) salinization.
E) weathering.

Question 55

_______ and _____ are particularly effective in moving soil from one place to another.

A) Plants; wind
B) Water; acidic soil pH
C) Wind; temperature
D) Water: wind
E) Plants; water

Question 56

Which element is a macronutrient in plants?

A) Sodium
B) Calcium
C) Manganese
D) Zinc
E) Copper

Question 57

Figure 36-2 ​

Refer to the accompanying figure. Absorption of positively charged mineral ions by the root is facilitated by the movement of:

A) clay particles into the root hair.
B) water into the root hair.
C) protons into the root hair.
D) protons out of the root hair.
E) Mg⁺ out of the root hair.

Question 58

Diagram and label a cross section of a primary eudicot root. Identify the function of three of the labeled tissues.

Question 59

The formation of soil by gradually breaking rock into smaller particles by biological, chemical, and physical processes is known as:

A) erosion.
B) inorganic synthesis.
C) cation exchange.
D) salinization.
E) weathering.

Question 60

Figure 36-2 ​

The process illustrated in the accompanying figure is known as:

A) humus formation.
B) weathering.
C) cation exchange.
D) soil erosion.
E) salinization.

Question 61

Buttress roots help trees obtain oxygen from flooded soil.

Question 62

A root hair is an extension of an endodermal cell.

Question 63

The outermost layer of the stele is the pericycle.

Question 64

Water flowing inward through the endodermis moves next into the pericycle.

Question 65

The removal of dissolved materials from soil by percolating water is called illuviation.

Question 66

The root cortex is composed mostly of collenchyma cells.

Question 67

Identify two plant macronutrients and two micronutrients and provide a physiological role for each.

Question 68

An example of a micronutrient is phosphorus.

Question 69

Hydroponics refers to the growing of plants in aerated water rather than soil.

Question 70

The nodules found in the roots of legumes characteristically contain mycorrhizae.

Question 71

In woody plants, the root epidermis is replaced by periderm.

Question 72

Lateral roots arise from cells of the cortex.

Question 73

The symplast is the continuum of living cytoplasm.

Question 74

Explain the process of soil formation by weathering.

Question 75

The roots of certain epiphytes are photosynthetic.

Question 76

An adventitious root is one that occurs in an unusual location.

Question 77

Root hair development is under the control of two genes that code for transcription factors.

Question 78

A typical soil is composed mostly of humus.

Question 79

Differentiate between the following specialized roots.
A. Prop root

B. Buttress root

C. Pneumatophore

D. Storage root

E. Photosynthetic root

Question 80

The portion of a mycorrhizal fungus that penetrates the cell walls of the root cortex is called an arbuscule.