Describe how ions, water and sugar are obtained and transported through plants. In your answer you should refer to materials moving upwards and downwards in a plant. (6 marks)

Since this is a 6 marker, it is important for you to firstly express yourself coherently, and secondly write the 'key words' that examiners look for. The question is referring to the transport processes of three different substances, and the direction in which they move. I always find it useful to think about these long questions logically, and you get better at this the more you practise:
Ions- ions are taken up by diffusion from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. They are also taken up by active transport. They move from the soil, through the root hair cells, into xylem vessels and then deposited in the leaves. Water- water is taken up by osmosis from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. Water molecules move from the soil, through the root hair cells and into xylem vessels. The diffusion gradient is created by the transpiration stream, so water moves up to replace the water that has evaporated from the leaves. Sugar- sugar is made in the leaves of a plant by the process of photosynthesis. It is unique as it is transported in both directions (up and down the plant) in phloem vessels.