It is interesting to observe coconut trees which transport water from the ground(?) to fairly large heights .What is the mechanism ? Can we replicate it artificially?
.Why should it grow so tall ..(even when there is clearly ) enough space around.
Also can it be shown the energy actually comes from the sun (photosynthesis) ?Are there other than visual absorption of wave energy ?
I am not a scientist , but an engineer but this tree intrigues me and is the basis for formulating this question.
aronEnlightened
How do coconut trees get so much water up above the ground ?
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avery
Coconut is a herb but there are real trees that can reach 100m of prevalence by using osmotic pumps in the leaves and transpiration pull, the same principle that dries a wet cloth under sun.
andrew
Miranda is correct. Water transport in trees is driven by evaporation from the leaves which produces tension in the water column pulling the water up from the roots. If you are asking whether you could drop a palm tree into a well, cut off the top and have it pump water for you the answer is no I’m sorry to say. It is a passive system. There is no active pump in the stem.
John Wick
You are welcome and thanks for refs. That is how but let us forget about the tree. Cocos are not a tree but a palm. The vessels bundles we are talking about are 100 microns wide but the wood thickens near the cork and is soft in the centre of the stem, opposite of what happens in trees. The water goes up to fronds by transpiration but part of it enters the green cells thanks to internal osmotic pumps. All this in a saline environment around the roots.