Water is known as the universal solvent because it has a great capacity to dissolve inorganic compounds, making them accessible for living systems. Partial credit was given if the order of the quantities was partially correct, or was scored in reverse. More points were deducted if a quantity was 2 or 3 places out of rank than if only one place out of rank. Plant roots must respire to grow. Leaves produce oxygen by photosynthesis and the plant transports it to the roots.
Roots use metabolic oxygen produced locally in root tissues.
Zirconium and cadmium are not known to be required by plants or animals for enzyme function or any other purpose, and were not mentioned in lecture, the book, or the website. If the result was less than zero, you received a score of zero. Both nitrogen-fixing mutualists and mycorrhizae are maintained by photosynthate from the host plant. Root hairs are temporary organs, which the plant abandons once nutrients in their proximity have been depleted. A great proportion of the total living matter on Earth is cellulose, produced by plants.