Plant organ system: Phloem tissue transports dissolved sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant for immediate use or storage. The movement of food molecules through phloem tissue is called translocation.

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Q: Is this Plant organ system: Phloem tissue transports dissolved sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant for immediate use or storage. The movement of food molecules through phloem tissue is called translocation. guide aligned to the AQA specification?

Yes. This guide is linked to the Plant organ system: Phloem tissue transports dissolved sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant for immediate use or storage. The movement of food molecules through phloem tissue is called translocation. topic in the AQA GCSE specification.

Phloem is a transport tissue made of living cells, including sieve tubes and companion cells, that carries dissolved sugars such as sucrose.

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

Phloem is a transport tissue made of living cells, including sieve tubes and companion cells, that carries dissolved sugars such as sucrose. Sugars are made by photosynthesis in the leaves, the source, and are loaded into the phloem. They are then moved to sinks, which are parts of the plant that use or store them, such as growing shoots, roots, fruits and storage organs. This movement of food molecules through phloem is called translocation. Sugars may be used immediately in respiration or growth, or converted to starch for storage. Unlike xylem, which carries water and mineral ions upwards in dead hollow cells, phloem transport is bidirectional and requires living cells.

What earns the marks

Phloem is a living transport tissue containing sieve tubes and companion cells.
The sugars are made by photosynthesis in the leaves, which act as the source.
Translocation is the movement of food molecules through phloem tissue.
Sugars move to sinks such as growing regions, roots, fruits or storage organs.
Transported sugars can be used immediately, for example in respiration or growth, or stored, often as starch.
Phloem transport is distinct from xylem transport, which carries water and mineral ions.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Confusing phloem with xylem.
Put it right: Phloem carries dissolved sugars, while xylem carries water and mineral ions.
Saying translocation transports water.
Put it right: Water movement is transpiration in xylem, not translocation.
Describing phloem as dead tissue.
Put it right: Phloem cells are living, unlike mature xylem vessels.

Exam tips

Name the source and the sink when explaining a translocation example, such as leaf to root.
Use the word dissolved when describing the sugars carried in phloem.
Compare phloem and xylem in a table or paired sentences to show the difference clearly.

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