By what means do roots absorb water from the soil?

Plants absorb water from the soil by osmosis. Root hair cells are adapted for this by having a large surface area to speed up osmosis. The absorbed water is transported through the roots to the rest of the plant where it is used for different purposes: It is a reactant used in photosynthesis. read more

Roots absorb water from the surrounding soil using the process of osmosis. Plant and tree roots have special structures, called root hair cells, that cover a large surface area and act as tiny sponges to absorb maximal amounts of water. read more

The mechanism, of absorption of water from the soil by the activity of the root cells is called active absorption of water. In tall trees, active absorption plays a minor role. The main and efficient mechanism by which most of the rooted green plants absorb water is passive absorption. read more