A Levels Biology (9700)•9700/12/O/N/23

Explanation
Accurate depiction of apoplast and symplast pathways in plant transport
Steps:
- Define apoplast pathway: water flows through cell walls and intercellular spaces without crossing membranes.
- Define symplast pathway: water moves cell-to-cell via cytoplasm and plasmodesmata connections.
- Identify key diagram features: apoplast shows extracellular route; symplast shows intracellular links.
- Compare sketches to definitions, selecting the one matching both pathways precisely.
Why D is correct:
- It illustrates apoplast as continuous cell wall path and symplast as cytoplasmic bridges via plasmodesmata, aligning with standard plant physiology definitions.
Why the others are wrong:
- A: Reverses pathways by showing symplast through walls.
- B: Omits plasmodesmata in symplast depiction.
- C: Depicts both pathways as membrane-crossing, ignoring apoplast's extracellular nature.
Final answer: D
Topic: Transport mechanisms
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