Answer: solid hydrophilic ones.
- A solid hydrophilic ones
- B purely gaseous ones
- C purely liquid ones
- D purely metallic ones
Correct answer: A. solid hydrophilic ones
Explanation: Imbibition is water uptake by hydrophilic solids like seeds and wood.
Water can travel through cell walls (apoplast) or cell-to-cell through the cytoplasm (symplast) - but the Casparian strip at the endodermis blocks the apoplast route entirely, forcing everything through a selectively permeable membrane (symplast) before it can enter the xylem.
Concept context
Water and mineral absorption, the ascent of sap, transpiration, and phloem transport via the pressure flow hypothesis.