Function of Roots: Lesson for Kids

There are two different types of root systems, and both have the same functions:

There are three main layers to a root. The outside of the root is called the epidermis and is where water and nutrients are absorbed. The cortex is the middle layer. It acts like a small secret passageway that carries the water and minerals from the epidermis, inward, to the center of the root. What is so neat about the cortex is that it can do more than one thing at a time. It can also store sugars that the plant makes during photosynthesis. The vascular cylinder is the inner layer and is made up of small tubes that transport the water and nutrients both ways, up and down the plant.

Watch your step! Aerial roots are roots that grow above the ground and across the land before they go down into the soil. Corn and banyan trees are good examples of plants that have aerial roots. If you aren't careful, you could certainly trip over them.

The root system is an organ inside a plant that mostly grows underground and has many jobs, including supporting the plant in the ground, absorbing water and nutrients, and transporting these things to the stem.