Root hair cell
Function:

Root hair cells absorb water from the soil by osmosis.
Structure:

Large surface area

Large vacuole for a low water potential level so water can be absorbed by
osmosis.

Thin cell walls.
Xylem
Function:

Transports water and minerals from the roots up the plant stem and into the
leaves.
Structure:

Most of the cells that make up the Xylem are specialised and called vessels.

The vessels lose their end walls so the xylem forms a continuous, hollow tube.

Strengthened by a chemical called lignin (research lignin using the textbooks)
Phloem
Function:

Moves food substances that the plant has produces by photosynthesis to
where they are needed.
Structure:

The phloem consists of living cells: sieve tubes and companion cells.

Sieve tubes – specialised for transport and have no nuclei, each sieve tube has
a perforated end and are connected together.

Companion cells – transport of substances in the phloem requires energy.
Companion cell provides this energy.