Terrestrial plants can survive intense heat because water has high heat of vapourization, which cools the leaf surface.
True or false?
True.
False.
Terrestrial plants have developed various adaptations to survive intense heat, but the statement that water has a high heat of vaporization and cools the leaf surface is not entirely accurate. While it is true that water has a high heat of vaporization, meaning it requires a significant amount of energy to change from a liquid state to a gaseous state, this process alone is not sufficient to cool the leaf surface.
Plants rely on other mechanisms such as transpiration, where water is evaporated from the leaf surface, to cool themselves. Transpiration helps regulate the temperature of the plant by removing heat through the process of evaporation. Additionally, plants may also have other adaptations such as specialized leaf structures, waxy coatings, or the ability to close stomata (tiny openings on the leaf surface) to conserve water during hot and dry conditions.
In summary, while water's high heat of vaporization plays a role in plant temperature regulation through transpiration, it is not the sole reason terrestrial plants can survive intense heat. Plants have evolved various mechanisms to cope with high temperatures.