Question

Capillary action is how plants draw moisture from the soil into their roots and stems. Explain the relationship between capillary action and intermolecular forces.

Answer 1

Answer:

Capillary action refers to the motion of the liquid along the solid surface resulting due to the attraction of the molecules of the liquid. Capillary action is used by the plants to bring water up to the roots and then from stems to the remaining parts of the plant. The liquid molecules are fascinated by the molecules present within the stem. This attraction is utilized to assist the water to move up from the ground and to get distributed to all the parts of the plant.  

There are three intermolecular forces that play an essential role in the procedure of capillary action:  

1. Adhesion refers to the procedure of combining one substance with another. In plants, adhesion permits the water to attach with the plant's organic tissues.  

2. Cohesion maintains the molecules of a similar substance to remain in combination. In plants, cohesion makes the molecules of water to stay together.  

3. Surface tension refers to the influence of the intermolecular attraction, which makes liquids to produce a top or outer layer that works like a kind of thin film. Surface tension is accountable for the water drops to attain its shape and for holding the compositions together as plants soak up the water.  

Answer 2

Answer: Intermolecular force is what holds molecules together and capillary action is moving of liquid towards upward into a tube that is capillary. So the Intermolecular forces which takes part in capillary action are; for keeping the molecule attached to tube is the adhesive force and the for keeping the liquid molecule together is cohesive force.

In the plants, mositure from soil is taken up from stem which is tube like and to which molecules have strong adhesion.