Why Trees Are Out to Get You

The video explores how trees can grow so tall by transporting water from roots to leaves, overcoming the 10-meter limit of water suction through negative pressure. It explains that trees create immense negative pressures to move water up to 100 meters, despite the water being in a state where it should boil. The video also discusses the misconception that trees get their mass from soil, revealing that most of a tree's mass comes from carbon dioxide in the air. The process of photosynthesis and the role of sunlight in tree growth are also covered.

What is the maximum height water can be sucked up a tube due to atmospheric pressure?

• 20 meters

• 15 meters

• 10 meters

• 5 meters

What phenomenon allows trees to transport water to heights greater than 10 meters?

• Capillary action

• Transpiration

• Osmotic pressure

• Negative pressure

Why doesn't the water in trees boil despite being under negative pressure?

• The water is too cold

• The xylem tubes are filled with air

• The xylem tubes contain no air bubbles

• The water is in a gaseous state

What percentage of water in trees is used for photosynthesis?

• 10%

• 5%

• 20%

• 1%

Where does the majority of a tree's mass come from?

• Sunlight

• Soil

• Water

• Carbon dioxide

What did Johann Baptiste van Helmholtz conclude about the source of a tree's mass?

• It is derived from sunlight

• It is composed of air

• It is made entirely of water

• It comes from the soil

How do trees gain mass according to the video?

• By absorbing nutrients from the soil

• By converting sunlight into mass

• By taking in carbon dioxide from the air

• By absorbing water from the rain