Final answer:
The movement of water through the xylem is dependent on the process of transpiration, which is the evaporation of water at the leaf surface creating a tension that pulls water up from the roots. a) Transpiration
Step-by-step explanation:
The movement of water through the xylem depends on the process of transpiration. This is the loss of water from the plant through evaporation at the leaf surface, a key driver of water movement.
Transpiration causes a negative pressure (tension) which pulls water up from the roots through the xylem vessels and tracheids. The process is explained by the cohesion-tension theory, which describes how water molecules stick together (cohesion) and to the walls of xylem vessels (adhesion), allowing the tension necessary for water transport.